The Hundreds of Flowing Tears
by StrangerThingsGal
Summary: She's a lost teenage suburban girl with a dangerous secret and living in literal hell. He's a violent and dangerous gang member with a complicated life and a tragic past. Yet they are meant for each other.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, guys I'm back! I just want to say a massive thank you for all of your lovely comments on my previous stories. They really made my day! I have beeb working on this fic for quite a while 's going to be a multi-chapter one, and I'm still figuring out the story so we'll see how it goes.**

 **To be warmed this story is rated M for reason. There's some pretty dark content here, including depictions of abuse and sexual assault, as well as bad language. Hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

Emptiness. A cold, dark, terrifying feeling that seems to eat away at you, spreading slowly and painfully through your body like a tumor. A huge gaping hole threatening to swallow you up at every turn, with an accompanying roar in your ears that drowns out all the other sounds, cutting you off from the world, leaving you alone and vulnerable to your inner chaos. Time just stops and you find yourself just staring numbly at the nearest object, staring at it long enough to memorize every little detail, but not taking any of it in. You don't know you're staring at the object, you can't even see it.

You try to ignore these dark emotions you're feeling by losing yourself in your favourite show, or immersing yourself in your daily homework and study. Often, for a fleeting moment, you forget how you are feeling, the current state of your life. But then you remember it almost straight away, the reminder hanging over you like a dark cloud. You just feel devoid and hollow, the constant feeling that no one cares about you or loves you, staying with you every minute of every day. The feeling that you're screaming and screaming, but no one can hear you. Or no one cares.

That was how El Hopper felt every day.

El jumped and quickly pulled the sleeves of her hoodie over her arms and making sure her arms were completely covered, wincing at the familiar high-pitched whine shouting her name impatiently. Grabbing some rubber bands from her tiny drawer, she slipped them on her wrists, carefully concealing them under her jumper. Diane hated anything that looked cheap or common. If she saw them…

El pushed that thought away immediately and rubbed her eyes, trying to forget the events of the previous night. Grabbing her school bag, she reluctantly made her way out of her tiny, plain, hospital like bedroom no bigger than a cupboard. She rushed upstairs out of the draughty basement, to the large, blindingly white kitchen where she could smell the familiar smell of pancakes.

The fresh aroma of sweetness greeted her as she stepped in. Her father was reading the newspaper at the counter and sipping his morning coffee. Sara was tucking into a pancake, pouring maple syrup all over it and eating it with gusto. If El had ever eaten like that, she would have received a hard slap, or worse. Her twelve-year-old half-sister always got away with everything. With her blonde hair, blue eyes and angelic face, she had everyone wound around her little finger. She gave El a dirty look and made a rude sign at her as she entered. El was tempted to do it back but she didn't, in fear of what _she_ would do if she saw her, or if Sara snitched. Which she did. Constantly.

'Breakfast is on the counter,' Diane said shortly, not bothering to turn around, and immediately continued singing an oldies song on the radio. Sometimes, it amazed El how _she_ could change personalities as quickly, and as easily as changing clothes. It intrigued and terrified her, all at the same time.

El's father was also humming along to the song, the pair exchanging sickeningly loving looks as they sang to the lyrics. El looked away, noticing the small brown paper bag on the edge of the counter and bit her lip. Probably a stale sandwich in there. Maybe a three-day old muffin if she was lucky.

'Your algebra test from last week was an absolute disgrace,' Diane said casually in her chastising voice, but El shivered when she heard the threatening undertone. She always knew she was talking to her when she spoke like that. She never spoke to Sara or her father in that way. _Must keep quiet._ 'I will not accept a lower score than A+. And neither will your father.'

She paused, holding up her ladle in the air. 'You should be more grateful to us, young lady.' She continued, her voice on a more bitter tone. 'We expect a bit more thanks, _Jane,_ if you please.' Her lip curled as she said her name, like it was poison.

El stood there, quietly taking all the abuse.

'And remember, no buying canteen food. The muffin I gave you should do fine.' _A-ha. So, it is a muffin._ 'That canteen food is far too unhealthy, and your father and I think that you're eating too much already.' Diane looked over in her direction, raising her eyebrows as she looked judgingly at her body. El swallowed, fixing her jumper hugging her slim figure self-consciously. El wasn't in any way overweight. If anything, she was probably the thinnest out of all her family. Diane was always doing this, constantly finding ways to mess with her mind.

This was Diane being nice. Most of the time, El got insults that stuck to her skin like shards of glass. And that was just the beginning.

Jim continued to read his newspaper, not looking up once. There he was again, pretending he didn't notice. That was how it always was, but El had gotten used to it now. Even when she was rushed to hospital after a serious panic attack at school when she was eight, on the same day as Jim and Diane's wedding anniversary. They had gone out to the city for the evening to celebrate, and didn't even visit her during her overnight stay.

The nurses had shaken their heads in sympathy and reassured her when they were informed that he wasn't coming, but she noticed them exchange shocked and saddened looks when they thought she wasn't looking. Looks that confirmed to her eight-year-old self that her dad didn't care. Or that he was completely blinded by his love for Diane.

Biting her lip and averting her eyes, she grabbed her school bag and lunch. 'Okay, um- see you guys later then.' Diane simply narrowed her eyes at her, pursing her lips. None of them responded, treating her as if she were part of the wall, as always. El bit her lip so hard she could almost taste blood, then pivoted and left the house.

An outsider would say, ' _What could you possibly have to be depressed about? You have everything! You have a perfect, loving family who support you no matter what, a huge house in the best, safest neighbourhood in town, you excel in all your subjects, your teachers love you, and you have a very good chance of getting into all the colleges you apply for!'_ That was what everyone saw on the outside.

This was what El told herself in her head everyday as she stared at herself in her tiny bedroom mirror, chanting it to herself desperately as if saying it will make it all come true. This bullshit was what kept her going. The false pretence that her life was perfect.

The truth is that people didn't talk to her much, if at all. El was a loner - no one bothered with her, so she didn't bother with them.

Jane Hopper, the name everyone knew her by, was like a name out of a storybook. The name wanted to make her recoil. It was this false image of herself that she let everyone believe was true. El strove to be perfect, making it her life's mission to make her father proud. She needed him to be proud of her, to show him that she can achieve something. She wanted him to notice her so badly, it hurt. Diane always sneered cruelly at her attempts. Her father simply nodded, muttering a _well-done Jane_ and returned to whatever else he was doing. El knew that deep inside, he cared. But she had learned long ago that he would always put Diane and Sara before her, without a second thought.

Bastard girl. That was what her stepmother called her behind her back, to Jim, her posh-nob friends and to her own family when they visited. El didn't flinch at the word anymore. Diane called her worse names when they were alone. She put on a false air of sickly sweetness when speaking to El in public, barely concealing the coldness and disinterest in her eyes. It was enough to fool Jim. But El noticed. Every time.

And every time they were alone, Diane could do what she wanted with her.

El hated the name Jane with a passion. It just felt wrong to her, like she was trying on clothes that were several sizes too small for her. But she knew asking people to call her El was way too personal. It was what her mother called her. Not even her dad knew that she secretly went by that name, or that she had any alternative name before she went to live with him. No one knew. And it was going to stay that way.

El winced slightly at the sharp pain as she fixed the strap of her schoolbag. The bruises from last night were still there. It seemed that as she got older, _she_ would find more excuses to hurt her. Her stepmother was so false. On the outside, she was the perfect mother, the perfect wife with a perfect family, lived in a perfect house, and had a perfect life. She wore perfect clothes, had a perfect reputation, and was known to be kind, generous, fashionable, charismatic _and_ beautiful. She was a prominent member of the school Board of Managements for Hawkins Elementary, Middle _and_ High Schools. The fact that she was on very good terms with the mayor didn't hurt either.

She organises fundraisers for charities, took part in local petitions and, most impressively, arranged celebrity visits to the local children's hospital. Diane came from a wealthy, 'old money' family, and has many, _many_ connections. She was the perfect example of what a successful woman should be. Everyone loved her, everyone wanted to be her. She fooled everyone in Hawkins into believing she was this picture perfect middle-class woman. Everyone but El.

 _'You're worthless!', she hissed in her face as she gripped El's arm so tightly, she could feel bruises forming, her claw-like nails cutting into the delicate tissue of her skin. 'It would have been better if you were never born. You're a burden to everyone, you little piece of shit. It's a wonder your father puts up with you at all. Even your mother hated you.'_

 _She laughed coldly and gripped El's chin so tightly it hurt and brought her face right up close to hers. The spittle flying from her mouth and landing on El's face. 'I bet she killed herself because she couldn't stand the sight of you.' She narrowed her eyes at El in hatred, and spat. 'Do us all a favour and do the same.'_

* * *

As El walked into Hawkins High, she kept her eyes cast downwards. She moved through the crowd, trying her best make herself invisible, like always. People pushed past her and she hunched up, trying to make herself even smaller. She pulled her hood over her thick curly hair and shoved her hands in her pockets as she moved through the crowds. No one bothered her and no one gave her a second glance. She managed to reach her locker and quickly unlocked it, exchanging her books.

Maybe she wouldn't see them today. Maybe they found someone else to victimize. For a second she allowed herself to hope that maybe, _maybe_ today they'd leave her alone. Sadly, she hoped in vain.

She yelped as two large hands suddenly grabbed her by the waist, sneaking around her stomach, and pressing her back against a hard chest. 'Hey, baby,' that voice murmured, sending shivers of revulsion down her spine. She squirmed in disgust, trying to shove off the person who had invaded her personal space, and was now disgustingly whispering in her ear.

'Fuck off, Troy!'

He laughed, and his goonies who were hanging around him chuckled too, clearly enjoying themselves as they watched their leader harass their classmate. Troy gripped her tighter, his hand moving down her thigh. 'Let's not be like this, Janie. You know you want me. All you gotta do is say the word.' He pulled down her hood and sniffed her hair suggestively, inhaling it with relish. El tried not to throw up in absolute revolt.

'If I had to pick between you and a cactus, Troy, I would choose the cactus!' She snapped. It was times like this when she wished she didn't have to hide her true self from everyone. It would be so much easier. No one would go near her, if they knew what she was capable of. But it was far too dangerous and too much of a risk, to herself and to the people around her. She didn't want to hurt people, even if they really deserved it. She couldn't control it, this _thing_ inside of her. The last time… El tried not to think about that day. Nowadays, she just defended herself how everyone else did - using the old-fashioned way.

El stamped on his foot as hard as possible. She heard a quiet oof, and his grip on her waist loosened. She whirled around, shoving him away, eyes blazing furiously. He was laughing, his dark hair gelled back to keep it out of his face and his handsome, boyish good-looks making every girl who comes across him fall head over heels for him. He sneered, unaffected by her outburst as he trailed his eyes up and down her form.

'You're playing hard to get, aren't you?' He took a step towards her. Just then, a voice called out over the noise, 'Mr Harrington!', causing Troy to immediately stand up straight and look up, his new respectful attitude a sharp contrast to the more leering one he had around El and his friends. 'Principal Jenkins! How are you doing today sir?' He was smiling politely, looking like a typical over eager star-pupil. El wanted to vomit.

'I'm very well, thank you for asking.' Principal Jenkins approached the group, beaming with pride at the student body president and captain of the football team. His hands clasped behind his back, he spoke, 'I just wanted to re-congratulate you on your fantastic game last night. Thanks to you, Hawkins high are moving to the finals for a third year in a row. You have done this school proud. With your leadership skills and teamwork efforts, you are a perfect example to our students.'

'Oh, no, don't thank me sir,' Troy grinned. 'It's my pleasure to represent this school. And winning for this school with my team, especially because we worked so hard to get this far.'

'That's the spirit,' Principal Jenkins said enthusiastically, clapping Troy on the back. 'If only all students were as dedicated as you are. Keep up the good work, young man. And say hello to your father for me.'

'Will do sir. Thank you.' The principal smiled proudly at him, before continuing down the corridor.

'You see Janie.' Troy approached her, grinning slyly. 'Everyone loves and respects me. It's no accident that I happen to have Jenkins eating out of my hand. Which is why it's a complete mystery to me, why you seem to be the only girl in this entire school who hates my guts.'

'You must have been born on a highway Troy, because that's where most _accidents_ happen! Leave. Me. Alone.' She said through gritted teeth. She slammed her locker shut and shoved past the group of jocks, as they laughed off her insult. People stared as she stalked past, whispering to one another and chuckling. El avoided any eye contact with anyone and continued walking towards her classroom. She was going to be at least five minutes early, but she didn't care. She just wanted to get away from everyone.

Just when she got to the door of her classroom, her path was suddenly blocked by someone wearing designer stilettos and a tight leather skirt that showed off her curves. El groaned, not daring to look up, but she knew she was surrounded by the small pathetic posse of wannabes that followed this girl everywhere. God, she really didn't need this right now. She spoke to the school queen-bee in her usual bored tone, like she'd rather be scooping shit than bothering with the likes of her.

'What the fuck do you want Stacy.'

El looked up, glaring at her, as the other girl was at least a head taller than her. Stacy smirked at her, giving her the stink-eye. All her friends were throwing her similar looks, like she was something that got stuck to their fancy shoes.

'What happened to your hair Jane, sweetie?' Stacy feigned concern, her eyes wide and innocent, her perfect lips pouting. 'Still styling it with a weed-whacker?' She heard snickers all around her. Stacy reached out and grabbed a hank of her hair, tugging sharply and making El wince. Stacy suddenly pinched her delicate nose with her manicured nail, her nose wrinkling.

'What is that smell! Pooh Hopper, don't they have showers where you come from?'

'Silly Stacy,' Delia, one of Stacy's goonies stepped forward, smirking with her hand on her slim hip. 'They don't have showers in Hoboville.' She cracked up, as did the rest of her friends, like it was the funniest thing ever. El rolled her eyes. Even though these girls were scary as hell, compared to _her,_ it made Stacy and Troy seem like spoilt kindergarteners.

She looked over at Delia, who was laughing in a ridiculously false way and raised her eyebrows, snarking. 'Gee, Delia. Your ass must be pretty jealous of all that shit that comes out of your mouth.'

El smirked as a look of disbelief came across Delia's face. El pushed past Stacy, wanting to get to her class, but was then jerked backwards roughly. Stacy had grabbed a hank of her hair and was pulling her backwards.

'I think _Jane_ here, needs a reminder, that freaks don't belong in this school. Not under my watch. Grab her!' El struggled and yelped as she felt herself being roughly restrained by the other girls and dragged towards the girl's bathroom. They gripped her bruised shoulders and she bit down hard on her lip to stop herself from crying out.

There were at least six of them and one of her. The odds were not in her favour. She did her best to try and ignore the twitching she felt when she felt the growing urge to lose control. It was getting harder every time it happened. But this time, she didn't calm herself down.

She knew it was a terrible idea. But El had had a bad morning. She did not want to go through the rest of her day with disgusting toilet water soaked hair. Oh, fuck it, El thought, giving in.

So as Stacy's gang were forcing her into a cubicle, El snapped. She caught sight of the water in the cubicles, and lowering her head slightly, concentrating.

El was quick to duck as water shot through the opening of the toilet, and into the girl's faces. They shrieked in horror. And just like that, complete chaos arose.

Stacy and her friends were screaming and running, trying to avoid the water, only to keep slipping and sliding on the flooded floor. All the other toilets were gushing out filthy water as well. El watched the display in amusement for a moment, as her tormentors simultaneously cried about their ruined hair, make up and clothes, and tried to run for cover. She smiled to herself. It was a good feeling, getting her own back on them. During the confusion, no one saw the school freak quietly slip out into the corridor.

She approached a teacher who was passing by. 'Sir? I think the girl's bathroom is flooded.'

* * *

The story of what had happened in the girl's bathroom before first period spread around the school like wildfire. Students had taken photos and videos of Stacy and her gang as they stumbled out of the bathroom, a sopping mess and they were already the laughing stock of the school. It was rumoured that Stacy went home early from the embarrassment.

All the teachers and students assumed it was simply a plumbing problem. It was a shitty school building anyway, there were always pipes leaking or mouldy ceilings. Last semester, there was even a rat infestation. A mechanic had already been brought in to fix the apparent plumbing problem. El, as usual, kept her head down and worked while the rest of the class whispered about the toilet incident. El knew she shouldn't feel worried. Stacy and her group wouldn't think she had something to do it, not without convincing everyone that they were crazy. But El couldn't help but feel slightly anxious.

So, she spent the rest of the day avoiding Stacy's posse. Thankfully they seemed to be avoiding her too, clearly humiliated about the unexpected turn of events. But El caught them glaring at her suspiciously several times. They clearly suspected she had something to do with the toilets malfunctioning. Or they were just super pissed that their bullying led to their uber-humiliation.

El wandered around the library, running her hand along the spines of the books. She always sat here during lunch. No one usually came here, and it was so much more peaceful than the noisy canteen. El kept her sleeves pulled up as she pulled out books from the shelves. She could feel her arms stinging slightly, the healing cuts not reacting well to the fibres of her hoodie. The memory of what had happened the previous night rushed through her brain, but she pushed it back, not wanting to think about it.

Of course, Stacy would be back for revenge, El thought absentmindedly, but whatever she had planned, it couldn't be any worse than her current life with _her_.

* * *

El stayed on after school for a few hours to help build the set for the school musical, which was _Oklahoma_. El wasn't the world's greatest artist, but the drama department were short on help. She didn't hesitate in volunteering. It meant she didn't have to go back to the house straight away after school. She enjoyed painting some of the backgrounds and helping with the props, but honestly? That wasn't the real reason she had volunteered, apart from avoiding the house.

El watched in fascination as the actors rehearsed a scene, pausing from painting a tree with her brush in mid-air, to focus on them. They jumped into a song, a joyful and eager one, and El was in complete awe as she watched. The actors slipped into the dance routine, singing at the top of their voices. Acting and musical theatre was something El had always enjoyed. But she didn't dare try out for school productions. She had once made the mistake of talking to her family one night at dinner about her drama teacher praising her acting ability. El was genuinely proud that she had impressed her teacher, and that she was good at something she loved.

But Diane, hating to see her happy about anything, laughed coldly. 'Acting and drama, is it now? What will it be next Jane, hmm? Dancing? Art? I won't have you try to pursue this vulgar hobby. You need to get rid of this silly, unrealistic idea of yours, or there will be consequences.' Her father, as usual, agreed with Diane.

El received a bruising on the right side of her face that night, which she dismissed to her teachers as having acquired it when she bumped into a street light. Sara had snickered that day, asking if she was born with two left feet or did she practice, ridiculing her and making Diane laugh cruelly. Her father either didn't notice, or accepted her lame excuse. No one at school seemed to care either. El had opted stay silent at the dinner table from then on.

El sighed, and returned to her painting. Two more years until graduation. Then she can leave this damned place. Then, and only then, was she free.

* * *

It was approaching half seven when she left the school building. Her father, stepmother and Sara probably already had dinner back at the house. Most likely, they barely noticed, presumably relieved that they wouldn't have to put up with her. Doubtless, the dishes were still on the table, waiting for her to clear up after them, and do her usual routine of washing up. El thought about the rehearsals, wistfully trying to imagine herself on that stage, singing and acting her heart out. It made her feel warm and fuzzy, at the thought of it. Sadly, her dream was not meant to be.

She was so zoned out, that she didn't hear the distant shouts of the football players who were also leaving the school grounds. It was only when she heard her name drunkenly being called out by the delighted ringleader, that she realised she wasn't alone.

She whirled around to see them ambling towards her, holding cans of beer. Drinking on school grounds. They had probably snuck them in when the coach wasn't looking.

'Jane, baby girl, come to join the party?' Troy slurred as he walked towards her, flanked by his loyal teammates. He was grinning like he had won a prize and was looking at her like she was a piece of meat. El looked around desperately, trying to see if anyone else was around, who could help her. But the school grounds appeared to be empty. Everyone had already gone home after the rehearsal, she was one of the last ones to leave. The drama teacher, Ms Madden's car, was thankfully still parked in the car park and El prayed furiously that she would appear.

Troy couldn't do much in school, when they were under teacher's noses, but here he was with his friends, alone and unsupervised, and worst of all, drunk as hell. El felt that horrible feeling of vulnerability creep over her. She started to walk hurriedly away.

'Hey, where you going? You're not going anywhere, baby girl. Come here.' El fearfully started to pick up her pace. Troy's goonies suddenly leapt in front of her, looming over her and surrounding her within seconds. Heart leaping to her throat and panic tearing through her, she tried to break away from them, but someone caught her from behind, restraining her and pulling her up against their huge, bulky body. El froze. Oh God, she thought, bile rising to her throat. Oh God no. Please no. Anything but this.

'Oh, you're not going anywhere,' Troy purred in her ear, his breath smelling heavily of alcohol. His hand reached in between his body and her petite, lithe one, and grabbed a handful of her ass, squeezing. El shrieked in fury, attempting to stamp on his foot again, missing it during her panic

'Let me go! Let me go Troy! _Let me go!'_ She screamed. She felt his sweaty hand clamp tightly over her mouth. She bit down on his hand harshly, tasting blood and Troy growled in pain.

'Bitch!' He snarled, and without giving her time to resist, she felt more hands clamp on her face and her legs were suddenly grabbed forcefully, hands gripping her tightly as she felt herself being dragged away. She struggled feebly against her captors stronger, more built physique, and despairingly kicking out at them, crying out and shrieking helplessly. They were going around the back of the school, to make sure they were completely out of sight. This made her struggle more.

'She's a feisty one, this one. I want a go when you're done with her Troy.'

'And a nice ass too. Can't believe she doesn't hang around with Stacy.'

'Well, what do they say? The quiet ones have the best pussies. I bet she's never been fucked.'

'Yeah man, she's going to be so tight.'

'Easy guys,' Troy snarled. 'I'm doing her first!' El desperately bit at the hands that were clamping down on her nose and covering her mouth. She couldn't get any air in her lungs, what with her screaming and crying for help at the same time. Her tears flowed in heavy torrents as she sobbed.

'God shut her up, will you Troy. I can't stand listening to her fucking whimpering.'

'I'm working on it,' Troy snapped. Suddenly, Troy's meaty hand grabbed her by the throat, squeezing. She spluttered and choked, feeling herself being forcibly thrown against something hard and wiry. The fence. Her arms were restrained by two of Troy's goonies, who were also covering her mouth, and forcing her head upwards. She begged them not to, crying and trembling, struggling powerlessly. They were just too strong for her. Her hoodie was zipped down and she felt hands travel up inside her top, towards her bra. In his drunken haze, he pulled down the straps of her sleeveless top, ripping the top in the process. Troy was right on top of her against the fence, trapping her. She struggled against his hands that were still trying to choke her.

'Shhh.' Troy shushed her. 'We're gonna have some fun, baby. Relax, okay, just relax.' Troy whispered in her ear and she heard him unzip his pants.

Something in El snapped for the second time that day. Her heart rate increased and she suddenly found it difficult to hear. Her fear disappeared and anger boiled up inside of her, consuming her. All that rage came out faster than magma, and just as destructive. She lost control over herself. All she knew at that moment, was that she wasn't going to let them do this to her.

There was a rush of wind as Troy was thrown backwards by an invisible force. His back colliding with a bin. Before his friends had time to react, they too found themselves flung away from her in different directions. Some hitting the wall of the school, others crashing into bins and some simply on the tarmac. Shrieking and swearing as they flew to the air, stopping abruptly as they landed roughly.

El didn't stick around. She ran.

Running around the school building, she whipped past the drama teacher, Ms Madden walking towards her car, who had only decided to that _now._ 'Ms Hopper?' She heard her call out. El kept running.

She had no idea where she was going. She didn't think nor did she register the fact that it was getting dark and storm clouds were gathering. She just knew that she had to run as far away as possible. Adrenaline coursed through her veins. Her breath came in short gasps.

Gut-wrenching, heart pumping— after several thrusts forward her legs became tired. But her legs kept moving. At the speed she was going, she could barely see a few metres ahead of her. A few droplets of rain landed on her face. Within minutes it was lashing rain. El didn't bother pulling her hood up. Her hair was soon plastered against her head, having lost its usual volume.

But she didn't notice, instead continuing to run, her feet flying over the tarmac. Her shoes slammed through puddles, causing mud and water to slosh up her legs. Her calves burned but she ignored it.

She had no idea what part of town she was in, and she didn't care. The dim street lights illuminated the buildings as she sprinted past. She lifted her eyes for a moment, and saw the derelict buildings, the graffiti covered walls, the paths littered with bins, and the rundown apartment blocks that were a far cry from the part of Hawkins she lived in.

She had somehow reached the West side of Hawkins. The worst place possible that she could have ended up in. The town's poorest district, where the Hawkins crime rate was at its highest, where gangs roamed the streets dealing drugs, where vandalism was considered a full-time hobby, where the Hawkins trailer park resided and where, as the town's chief of police, her dad spent ninety-five per cent of his time chasing down criminals.

Now fully aware of her whereabouts, El noticed that her lungs were on fire and there was a horrible stitch in her abdomen, that was so painful it made her double over. She winced at the pain, holding her hand to her stomach and slowed down, her legs nearly giving out.

El was bending down, struggling to inhale, to exhale, to do _anything_ at that moment. She couldn't even cry, her eyes having lost the ability to produce tears a long time ago. There was a silence to her soul and numbness to her heart as she struggled to recap what had just happened to her.

She felt like throwing up.

El was dimly aware of approaching lights from speeding vehicles. She was also aware that she was standing in the middle of the road. But she had lost the ability to move or to feel. She could only hear the rumbling sounds of the engines as they get closer and the _thump thump thump_ of her heartbeat ringing in her ears. She was in a trance, her eyes staring straight ahead of her and the emptiness filling her up. Her fists were clenched so tightly, that she could feel the nails digging into her. She shivered as she walked slowly, the cold finally getting to her. She rubbed her forearms up and down, trying to keep herself warm.

The engines were getting closer, but she didn't look up. She didn't hear the loud ' _Shit!'_ and an angry, ' _What the fuck?',_ and the loud screeching of wheels against the tarmac as several bikers braked sharply and roughly when they saw her.

She flinched as the head lights from the four motorcycles hit her, blinking in the sudden brightness. Rain dripped from her soaking clothes and she shivered, her chest moving up and down as she took huge breaths. The motorcyclists roared abruptly to a halt to avoid hitting her. The motorcycle in the middle was braking faster than necessary, causing the rider behind him to accidently bump against his vehicle, resulting in a loud scraping sound and accompanied with a loud swearing. They roared to a halt when they were about twenty feet away, their engines still running. She stood there, feet frozen to the ground.

'What the fuck? Get off the fucking road! What are you, drunk?' one of them shouted to her. She heard the threatening, furious undertone in his voice, and El suddenly realised that she had gotten herself in an unwanted situation. Her eyes flicked over the motorcyclists. Oh God.

They were all wearing helmets and donning expensive looking black leather jackets. Even though she couldn't see their faces, she knew from their body language, that their eyes were burning into her. Gang members, they had to be.

'Sorry," she muttered, holding up her hands in a half shrug and turning to leave.

'Look what we have here, boys,' a deep voice taunted. 'A little rich girl whose lost her way home. Looks like you accidently wandered into the devil's lair.'

That comment made her stop in her tracks. _Rich girl?_ Was that a fucking joke? She didn't even _own_ any designer clothes. Slowly she turned to face them again. The biker in the middle seemed to be the one who had spoken. He leered at her, cocking his head calmly to one side. The fact that she couldn't see his face made him seem even more petrifying, and she could practically feel an ominous vibe coming from him.

He leaned forward on his motorcycle. El couldn't move, as he spoke slowly to her, 'Why the hell is a rich girl like you wandering around here after seven pm, huh? Shouldn't you be off getting your manicure done or something?' His friends sniggered at that.

Oh, he did _not_ just say that. She clenched her fists. She didn't have the goddamn energy to be dealing with this. She just pitted him with a dirty look, and held up her middle finger at him, before turning and walking off, pulling her hood over her head as he did so.

She heard exclamations as she strode off. 'Did she just -?'

"Oh, fuck.'

'Shit, did that just happen?" Came an angry shout.

One minute she was marching through the puddles, her feet slapping against the tarmac, the next thing she knew, she was surrounded by the group of bikers, their helmets pulled off, and their motorbikes abandoned on the road.

'Where the hell you think you're goin' princess?' One of them jeered at her, blocking her path.

Realising with growing dread that she had just created an even worse situation, El attempted to bolt through a gap. Her way was forcefully blocked. 'Not so fast, kiddo.' The larger one of them taunted, towering over her. His look was almost playful, like threatening people was something he enjoyed. He had the body of a professional MMA fighter, his muscles clearly straining against his t-shirt, and his leather jacket barely fitting his torso. He grinned at her toothily. The other one didn't have his bulky physique, but looked just as menacing, his face etched into a permanent scowl, his dark skin almost blending with his entirely black wardrobe, like what the all the other bikers were wearing. He wore a khaki band around his head. They both had a bodyguard stance, arms folded and blocking her way. She pitted them with a glare that disguised her growing fear. She was going to fight her way out of whatever was about to happen.

She stiffened when she heard the guy who had called her a rich girl speak again. There was coldness to his tone that sent shivers down her spine as he addressed her. 'You. Turn around. Right now. I'm not gonna ask you twice.'

Jesus, was this fucking mafia movie or something? El rolled her eyes but did as she was told.

The man who spoke to her got off his motorcycle. She just glared at him silently, folding her arms. Not looking away from her, he slowly pulled his helmet off.

El opened her mouth to say something, to say a curt apology, to tell them to piss off and leave her alone, anything, _anything_ to get herself out of this goddam situation. But words left her as she suddenly met two dark brown, almost black eyes, staring intimidatingly down at her. Her mind went completely blank and she was suddenly unable to find her voice, rendered totally speechless.

El had seen many good-looking boys at her school, Troy being one of them. But they suddenly seemed plain in comparison to the person standing before her. They had absolutely nothing on him. El couldn't register what she was seeing at first.

High cheekbones and a strong jawline sharply accentuated his features, his dark eyebrows furrowed together in a scowl as he glared at her. He was older than her, maybe eighteen or nineteen. Maybe even twenty. His physique was strong and muscular looking and his hair was a mass of dishevelled curling, ebony-black locks untidily slicked back. Her voice was completely lodged in her throat, and she was unable to breathe, completely blown away. He was the most gorgeous man she had ever seen.

His full lips were pulled back in a sneer as he stared at her with undisguised contempt. 'You've wandered a long way away from home, princess,' he said sardonically.

El heard the threatening undertone and she swallowed, completely tongue-tied, unable to look away from his death stare. She was struck dumb, unable to get a word out. From fear or awe, she wasn't sure. She carefully looked him over, casually checking him out. He was wearing tight denim jeans slung low and tucked into black combat boots, and a t-shirt underneath his leather jacket.

'Listen here, rich girl,' he said in a low voice, 'I don't know what the hell you think you're doing here. Prissy townie fuckers aren't welcome here, in case you're not aware.' His voice came out in a dangerous hiss. 'We don't take well to _intruders_ here in the Westside. This is hydra ground, where you're standing on. But since you're not one of those cowardly little rich boys who come here to mess with us, or anyone of authority in your side of the town, I suggest that when we're done here you leave. Got that, princess?'

She said nothing, instead holding his stare stonily.

He paused, letting that sink in. 'And not to mention you messed up my motorcycle. It might mean nothing to you, but that Suzuki means a fucking lot to me. All you spoilt Hawkins girls are the same, you get everything handed to you on a silver plate. You're just all just a fucking stereotype. You probably get whatever you want from your fancy suburban parents,' he said, sneering at her.

He sighed through his nose. 'Look, I'm not trying to start anything here. I'm not going to do anything to you. Hurting you in any way, won't get me anywhere, nor will it do me any fucking good. So, I don't wanna cause any trouble. Not unless it's fucking necessary.' Even though his words were supposed to bring her relief, it didn't slow down the banging of her heart against her chest.

'Therefore, I expect an apology real fucking quick from you, understand?' She flinched at his tone. Cold eyes penetrated her own, making her tucked in hands shake slightly.

'Can you not talk either? What, do I have to communicate with sign language?' He said sarcastically, and smiling mirthlessly, his eyes cold and dark as they bore into her, and stalked slowly up to her. El was still immobilised, and simply watched anxiously as he came closer until he was towering above her. He was so tall, that she only came up to his chest. Still, she kept her mouth shut.

He pulled out a cigarette and holding it in his mouth, lit it with a lighter, all the while not taking his eyes off her. Gazing at her coldly.

She continued to penetrate him with a cool stare. They were uncomfortably close, only inches apart. Her breath caught as she smelt the faint hint of cigarettes and alcohol from his breath. She wanted to take a step back, put some space in between them, but she was rooted to the spot. His eyes narrowed slightly as he studied her. 'What do you think, Sinclair? Is she mute?'

'Nah boss, you're probably just scaring the shit out of her.' That remark snapped her out of her silent state. 'Scared? Of a few kids on motorbikes? Why?' she said scornfully, smirking at them mockingly. She didn't care that she was being unkind. She didn't have room for kindness for these pricks.

She heard the chuckles all around, and she immediately wished she'd stayed quiet. 'So. She _does_ talk.' The leader sneered in a mock surprised voice, his eyes narrowing at her. 'Tell me. What exactly gave you the right to give me the middle finger, huh? I don't know you, and you don't know me.'

He took a long drag from his cigarette, inhaling slowly then exhaling, creating a cloud of smoke between them. El coughed, covering her mouth, having accidently inhaled some of the smoke. He simply watched her, his empty eyes burning a hole in her.

He began tracing his eyes unashamedly down her form, the corners of his mouth turning upwards in another mocking smirk as he did so. El suddenly felt self-conscious, wanting to cross her arms over her body, to hide herself from his leering gaze. But she forced her arms to stay where they were, not giving him the satisfaction of showing her insecurities, and glared at him, daring him to say something.

His eyes suddenly zeroed in on her chest, lingering for a moment. El looked down, realising too late that the top of her bra was exposed, due to Troy ripping her top earlier. She hurriedly covered it up with her hoodie, avoiding eye contact with him.

'What happened kiddo? Been in a cat fight?' The biker with head band remarked sardonically, sounding slightly amused. 'Did one of your rich pom-pom friends accidently break your nail? Your lipstick?' The others chuckled, except for their leader. Looking up warily, El was surprised to see something else in his eyes, as well as lust. His brows furrowed together in a scowl as he stared at her ripped top, almost as if it bothered him.

She honestly didn't care. She just wanted to get away from them as soon as possible. So she snapped at him. 'What the hell to do you want me to do? Apologise? Kiss your feet? For insulting your ego? Pathetic.'

'Oi,' the dark-skinned guy growled at her. 'Watch it, rich girl.'

The dark-haired guy was silent, staring at her with an unreadable expression. Then he sighed, looking down at her in an almost pitying way. 'You've got a lot of nerve, princess.'

'Call me princess one more time, and your motorbike will get a lot more than just a scratch,' she hissed angrily.

'What's a princess like you doing here, anyway?', he said, ignoring her. 'Got bored of all the small-dicked football players? Decided you'd come to Westside, looking for real men?'

'So, what,' she snarked, mouth moving before she could stop herself. 'You'd consider yourself a _real_ man?' She gave a scoff, looking up at him with disinterest. He was still boring his eyes into her own intensely, smiling faintly. 'Oh, believe me. I know I am.'

'Really?' El was practically shaking in her boots. 'That's very presumptuous of you.'

"It's because I'm fucking right.'

'Right. Okay. So, you're cocky, _as well_ as a conceited, self-serving, ego-inflated asshole.' She heard the sharp intakes of breaths all around her, and she immediately knew that she had stepped out of line with him, something none of them dared to do. It made her feel slightly triumphant.

His smirk faded slightly, and his expression somehow became even colder, if that was even possible. 'What the fuck did you just say to me?'

El felt the fear travel through her veins, but even though logic was screaming at her to shut up, she kept talking. She had a long, fucked up day and she needed to give this asshole a piece of her mind. Just like at the house, where she always has to mask her fear, she maintained a defiant face with him, refusing to back down. She couldn't show him any weakness. It was too late for that now anyway.

'You heard me. I don't need to deal with pricks like you, who think the best way to go through life is to threaten every person they come across. What, does scaring people make you feel powerful?' She gave an emotionless laugh. 'Pathetic.'

He sneered coldly. 'You don't know what you're talking about, princess - let alone who you're talking _to_. I can threaten whoever the fuck I want in this town. So, you'd better. Get. Used. To. It,' he said to her slowly, his gaze becoming more toxic by the second.

'Um, boss?' One of his cronies called out to him. The big one with the toothy grin. He sounded slightly apprehensive. The dark haired guy simply ignored him.

'What bothers me, is that you get up all in my face, threatening me and going on about how miserable us Eastside people in Hawkins, or as you seem to love to call us, _prissy townie fuckers -_ are making you - yet _you're_ the one harassing and threatening teenage girls in the middle of any empty street, like it's no big deal. And you think we're the jerks?'

His eyes darkened dangerously as he snarled, 'Do you have any idea who the fuck I am?'

'No.' El tried not to get lost in those dark eyes, even though she felt highly intimidated by him. 'And I do not give an honest crap about who you are.'

'You sure about that?' His voice was lower now. The air thickened with the tension between them.

'Boss.'

'Positive.'

'Boss!'

' _What!'_ , he snarled, whirling around.

'Cops are here.' It was the fourth biker talking, whom El hadn't really noticed, up until now. He looked smaller than the others, and unlike them, his stance was more serious and solemn, rather than threatening. His posture was stiff, and his boyish face was rigid with alarm. El saw the approaching cop car, the lights flashing.

'Fuck!'

'Come on, boss, let's get outta here.'

'All right, fine.' But he turned towards her again, his expression unreadable. This time, El swallowed as she maintained intense eye contact with him, unable to look away.

'Don't let me catch you here ever again, princess,' he hissed, still maintaining his cold façade, in a way that both sent alarm bells ringing in her head, and made her heart beat faster.

'Go burn in hell, why don't you,' she hissed, and moved out of his reach. He sneered, walking away from her while still maintaining eye contact with her, 'Oh believe me. I'm trying.'

The two cop cars pulled up. El turned around and immediately stiffened when she saw the occupant in the bigger car. A mixture of relief, anxiety and fear ran through her, her head spinning.

El's dad got out of the truck, immediately stopping in his tracks when he saw her. His expression changed from surprise to concern to confusion, to something unreadable. The tension was palpable. El held her breath nervously as they stood there, waiting for the other to talk first. After what seemed like forever, he motioned towards his truck. 'Get in.' El didn't to be asked twice, darting away from the group of bikers and getting into the passenger seat of the truck.

El watched as her dad approached the group, in an intimidating manner. It was only then that El noticed that all their leather jackets were embossed on the back with a red symbol. It looked like many headed snake-like creature. Flames licked from their mouths and formed a circle around them.

 _He_ stepped forward with a cold, hard expression and stared her father down as he came closer. Whoever he was, El knew that he had some kind of authority here in the Westside. El had never seen anyone stand their ground in front of her dad, _the police chief_. He was looking at her father as if he was dirt under his shoe, his mouth in a tight sneer.

She didn't want to watch the exchange any more than going back to the house, too afraid of what she might see, and instead closed her eyes, breathing in and out and trying to slow her heart rate. El was surprised when her father got into the car after only five minutes. She opened her eyes and saw that he was just standing by the open door leaning in. He was silent for a minute or so.

'So, Jane,' he finally spoke in a gruff tone. He didn't sound happy. 'Are you going to tell me why I found you in the rain, after eight o' clock at night, when you should have been at home doing your chores, in _Westside_ of all places - and in the company of _them_?' He jutted his head towards the bikers who were still hanging around, standing about thirty yards away. Silently watching them. El opened her mouth to ask what he meant by his sharp ' _them',_ as if saying their names evoked fear in him. But she thought better of it.

'I- I was helping out with the stage for the school play, and it got pretty late I guess.' El said quietly, biting her lip as she desperately tried to think of an excuse as to why she didn't go back to the house afterwards. Jim looked over at her eyebrows raised, waiting for her to continue. 'And?'

'And- ', El contemplated whether she should tell him. But she quickly and reluctantly dismissed the idea, even though it was painful for her. He probably wouldn't believe her. No one would. Those boys were the pride and joy of the school. Any kind of allegation against them would be ignored. Unfortunately, this had happened before. Several times in fact. A couple of years ago, a sophomore girl had come forward with allegations of sexual assault against the football team. As far as El knows, they were never charged. The girl eventually left Hawkins and transferred to another school, after receiving threats and blackmail notes. That, funnily enough, was also never investigated. The school covered it up instead of dealing with it. Hush money from the players rich and well-to-do families probably didn't hurt either. That was the kind of shitty school system they had. Power and money ruled there. It was all fucking corruption at this fancy ass school.

And as for her dad? He might be the police chief, but El knew better than anyone that he would dismiss it as fiction, despite her being his daughter. Diane had made sure that he couldn't believe anything she said. And he always listened to Diane over her. Besides, just thinking about the encounter with Troy, made her feel dirty and ashamed. She knew what people said – that the victim was never to blame. But El was distraught, enough so that just thinking about talking to someone about it, was impossible. She took a deep breath. 'And I decided to go for a little walk, and I got lost.'

'You got lost.' El heard the doubt in her father's voice.

'Yeah. It was dark and the rain made it hard to see. It-it was raining pretty h- '

'Okay, okay, I get you kid.' He waved his hand dismissively, cutting her off. 'What I'm really wondering, is how the _hell_ you ended up meeting those – those _thugs_. Pure chance, was it? I don't think so. What did they do to you? Did they hurt you?' She was surprised to hear the agitation in her father's voice. Like he was worried about her. She felt a surge of happiness. He did care.

'They did, didn't they. My colleagues and I are doing what we can to arrest those scum, but they have too much protection from outside forces. But now, we can finally charge them of something where have actual proof. You just have to tell me what they did to you, kid. More specifically what did _he_ do to you. I saw him touching you. All we need is some kind of proof - and they're going to jail. It would be the first time a hydra got arrested in God knows how long.'

She felt her mood plummet when he said those words, and it felt like a knife had been lodged in her chest. She stared straight ahead of her as he rambled on about the potentially great achievement of finally catching at least one of the gang members. Over a charge of alleged assault or harassment. El knew that if she told her dad that they hurt her, they would be arrested, without any real proof that they _were_ guilty, whereas Troy's attempted assault would be covered up, and she would be labelled a liar and a slut. It was all because of class difference. The rich people hid behind their money and wealth like cowards, while the poorer people were blamed for everything, simply because they were on the wrong side of the tracks. El had never felt more disgusted in her life.

So, she simply said, 'No actually, I was – was just asking them for directions.'

He stared at her in disbelief. 'You asked them for directions?' She took a deep breath and nodded. Lying was a serious offence in their house. Diane always thought she was lying, and was always making up excuses so she could find a reason to-

Well. Enough about that.

'Are you sure Jane?' Her dad looked at her, doubt written all over his face. She confirmed to him that she was telling him the truth. Her dad looked furious, discomfort and annoyance clearly showing in his stance. He gruffly told her to wait there. El watched him go back over to the bikers.

After what looked like a stiff, brief exchange, along with what looked like a few threats, her dad got back in the car. El looked over at the bikers and watched as they each got on their motorcycles and drove away. She watched as one of them stopped half way up the street, and remained there, surveilling them. Her dad didn't seem to notice. El shivered as she stared at his dark helmet facing towards the car.

'Sorry, Dad.' She said not taking her eyes off the distant figure. She wasn't sure what she was apologising for, but she knew that was probably what he wanted to hear.

Her dad scoffed. 'Didn't I tell you and your sister to avoid the Westside at _all_ costs. I did it for a reason kid. Those hydras are dangerous! I was trying to protect you from them, not to mention the entire town!'

She frowned at the word hydra. That was what _he,_ had used to describe himself and his goons. In a plural sense, like it was for more than one person. Like a gang.

'Who are they? Are they a gang? The hydras?' She questioned her father.

He sighed deeply, rubbing his forehead and scowling. 'Yeah. Yeah, they are. They're the worst kind out there, kid.' He flexed his fingers on the steering wheel, reluctantly continuing. 'They call themselves, the 'Shadow Hydras'. They run the Westside. Everything here belongs to them, it's their own territory. Christ, I mean, their territory goes _beyond_ Hawkins. They run all kinds of illegal underground trades, with drugs, weapons, you name it. They're have connections to some cartels and they even controlled some members of the police force before I joined. These days, we've been trying to get things under control. It was so much worse a few decades ago, it was full on corruption.'

'Oh.' El didn't know what to say. She knew that there were gangs in Westside, but gangs at that capacity of power? Here in Hawkins? She never would have guessed it. Another question was at the tip of her tongue, but she was afraid ask it, worrying about what the answer was and her father's reaction.

'Who is he?' El blurted out. _He_ was still there, spying on them. _What the hell does he want?_ _Why doesn't he just go?,_ she thought to herself anxiously. 'That tall guy with the dark hair. Who is he?'

He grimaced and avoided eye contact with her as he reluctantly spoke. 'He's the worst one of all.'

El watched him carefully. Her father hesitated before continuing. 'No one knows what his real name is, but at the Westside races, they call him 'Hell Raiser Mike'. He's one of the _ringleaders_ of the Shadow Hydras. He's one of the most dangerous gang members around. We've been trying to catch him for years, but so far, we've gotten nowhere. He's a criminal, Jane. The things he did-'. He cut off, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He suddenly seemed a lot older than he actually was.

El was frozen, her stomach locked up tight as she listened, her insides squeezing together as she struggled to absorb what he was telling her. She suddenly felt nauseous.

He turned to her, and spoke, snapping her out of her trance. 'I don't need to go into any more detail kid. Point is, they're dangerous as hell. So, from now on you _stay away_ from Westside, _understand!_ '

El had never been in a position with her dad, where he had shown any concern for her. Those moments were rare and it surprised her. Relief flowed through her, and she knew then, that that even though most of the time he didn't show it, and that he would always choose work responsibilities, Diane and Sara over her, deep inside some part of him did care about her. So, she nodded. 'I promise.'

He shook his head. 'Your step-mother won't be happy with you.' El's heart leapt in her throat. 'Don't tell her Dad,' she burst out, 'Please. Please I'm begging you. I swear it won't happen again, just don't tell her.' He hesitated, seeing the desperation in her expression. Sighing and shaking his head, he said quietly, 'She has to know, kid.' El sat back stiffly. She clenched her fists so tightly she felt them cut into her skin, as her father started the car.

As they drove off, El watched in the rear-view mirror, as _he_ stood in the middle of the road straddling his motorcycle, observing them. They turned a corner and he disappeared from view.


	2. Chapter 2

**Guys, I cannot say it enough. I am overjoyed at the amazing response to this story. Thank you, thank you, thank you a hundred times. I cannot thank you enough for your amazing comments.**

 **Unfortunately, I will be away a lot for the next few weeks. I will continue to work on upcoming chapters, but it's possible you may be waiting a while. I apologize in advance. Thank you again :)**

* * *

Anger was something Mike was accustomed to. It fuelled his everyday life, like how drugs or alcohol fuelled an addict. He could constantly feel it thrumming through his veins, stirring within him like a snake just waiting to pounce on its prey. It was the only emotion that he seemed capable of _feeling_ anymore. Everything else just seemed to die the older he became.

If he didn't have anger, he wouldn't have anything at all. He would just be a cold-blooded monster, incapable of feeling anything, so he was often grateful when he felt it. It reminded him that he was still human. But it didn't mean he was a good human, even he was aware of that.

It was always different. Sometimes he exploded without warning and raw rage would flow through him like lava, consuming him. Sometimes he kept it under control, and would come off as intimidating and cold, but people could still see it simmering beneath the surface. Everything irritated and frustrated him, to the point where he would take it out on someone, anyone. Mike hated that about himself. But he never felt any remorse after doing it, not one ounce. In fact, despite all the horrible deeds he committed, he hasn't felt remorse in a long time. His father had made sure of that.

He watched from a safe distance, as the police car drove away. Even though he was too far away, he knew that _she_ was probably still watching him.

He gave a little chuckle as he stared after the jeep. He couldn't stop himself from thinking about that girl, the chief's kid. She was unlike anyone he had ever met before. He had immediately guessed her upper class status, due to her clothing (as far as he could tell, girls from his side of town had piercings, tattoos and wore similar attire that gave them that rough, punk-like appearance), and because she was walking around as if she didn't know what planet she was on. She didn't seem snobby, that was for sure, but she still had the guts to speak to him with disdain and antipathy.

No one had ever spoken to him in that manner before. She seemed to be - street smart. Tough. Fearless. And she also happened to be the chief's daughter. He shook his head, smiling slightly when he remembered how she had raised her middle finger at him with no sense of dread. Man, she was daring. Suffice to say, he was mildly impressed.

' _Stay away from that girl, alright? She's done nothing to you.'_

' _Relax, chief. We were just talking. Your daughter just got a little lost.' The chief's eyes widened. Mike chuckled in amusement._ _ **Gotcha**_.

 _He slipped his hands into his pockets. 'Well look at that boys. My suspicions were right.' He sneered triumphantly. 'She_ _ **is**_ _your kid. Ain't that a fucking coincidence.' He paused dramatically. 'Not that there are any similarities or anything.'_

 _Chief Hopper said nothing._

He smirked in amusement as he remembered her expression when she saw his face for the first time. He had most definitely, caught her off guard. Did she really think that he didn't see her checking him out? He wasn't surprised though, that she did. She wasn't the first female to look at him that way and she certainly wouldn't be the last.

He then remembered how her top had looked sort of ripped, like someone had tried to rip it off. He scowled darkly at the thought, tightening his hold on the handlebars. He might be the notorious and intimidating member of a notorious gang that he had been a part of since he was fourteen, but he was against any kind of violence towards women. He just hoped that it wasn't what he thought it was.

He didn't have time to ponder any more about it. He was already running late as it was. He knew he couldn't afford to miss this particular meeting. He sighed heavily, then revved up his engine, glancing again at the direction to where they disappeared to before driving away.

As he raced through Westside, he couldn't stop replaying his argument with that girl from the upper-class side of town. A sixteen, seventeen-year-old by the looks of it. He remembered when she talked back to him boldly and insulted him, despite her obvious fear of him. She admirably did something that no one had ever dared to do, not unless they had a death wish. He had to admit that she had fire.

Some part of him hoped that he might cross paths with that girl again.

* * *

He approached the warehouse, slowing down as he reached the small group. Here, they were out of reach from the dim street lights, completely hidden from anyone who happened to be passing, which was highly unlikely. Only hydra members came to this place. The headlight on his motorcycle slightly lit up the alleyway, and he could make out the figures of his men standing in a little group.

They turned towards him the moment they saw him approach, and stood to attention, their low chatter dying down. There was nothing but respect and seriousness in their stances. He got off his motorcycle, studying them as he did so. There was a moment of silence.

'They here?' He broke the silence as he narrowed his eyes at them, waiting for them to answer. They looked at one another and nodded slowly. Any kind of playfulness and roguishness that was often apparent in these men were gone as they exchanged dark looks and wordlessly agreed to focus on what was important at that moment. Without another word, Mike led them inside the warehouse.

Three individuals were sitting at a table in the middle of the warehouse, which was lit by a single dim light that flickered every now and then. They were dressed in their usual attire of expensive suits and were smoking cigars, their faces mostly obscured by the shadows. They stood up from their seats and moved in front of the gang members. As far as Mike knows, they're the only people that don't fear him. Apart from his father, of course. But he could see it in their eyes, the mark of respect they had for him. They knew some of the things he did.

' _Please. Please don't.'_

 _Mike looked with disinterest and disgust at the man currently cowering beneath him. His expression was simply a façade. In reality, he wanted to throw up. The man was in a foetal position at his feet, his shoulder at an unnatural angle and his face covered in blood from the beating he got from the son of the renowned leader of the hydras. Mike felt bile rise up to his throat as it finally sank in that this was really happening._

' _Do it, son.' Mike heard_ _ **his**_ _deadpan voice, completely devoid of any emotion. The voice that put fear in men's hearts, including his own. 'Kill him. Kill the bastard.'_

 _Mike shut his eyes for a brief second to compose himself, then opened them. Without meaning to, he found the man's eyes. They were full of terror, his eyes pleading and filling up with emotion._

' _Please.' He sobbed. 'Please, I'm begging you. I-I have kids, th-they_ _ **need**_ _me. Please don't kill me. Please…'_

 _Mike's hand trembled slightly, and he gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stay still. He swallowed down the bile and despair that he felt, shaking off the horror of the deed he was about to commit. The hydras had no space for cowards. They were spat upon, and if a hydra was suspected or proved to be one, they were subsequently banished. He thought about seeing the anger and disappointment in his father's eyes when he refuses to carry out his bidding. And Mike knew he couldn't live with that._

 _There was no turning back. Not now. Not ever._

 _Not taking his eyes off the man, he became compliant, almost robotic as he pressed the gun to his bloody head. He felt nothing, but emotionless emptiness inside._

' _Please.' It was weaker now._

 _Mike's insides tightened. He pulled the trigger. The shot rang out through the dead of night._

 _The whimpering stopped abruptly and the light left the man's eyes like a candle getting extinguished. It was quick and painless. At least he hoped so._

 _Mike couldn't take his eyes off the body, the person that was alive just seconds ago and was now completely lifeless. His mouth was suddenly dry, and there was a certain numbness to his body and stillness to his heart, as he struggled to comprehend what had just happened. He didn't feel nauseous, upset or panicked. He felt nothing. Not even anger._

 _He had just taken someone's life. Not only that, he had also taken away someone's father. In that moment Mike realised that this act alone, had determined his status. A monster._

 _Mike remained unresponsive as he heard his father's impassive voice._

' _Pull yourself together, boy. You're a man now, whether you like it or not.' He heard him move away from him, along with the other men. Leaving him to clean up his own mess._

' _Congratulations, son.' His father said gruffly. 'You are now officially a member of the Hydras.'_

He kept himself controlled as he snapped out of the flashback, and silently chastised himself for letting it happen. He didn't have time for any flashbacks. It's in the past now, he told himself. And you can't change the past. His past defined who he was right now.

The men stood there silently, grimly studying him. After a long moment, one of them motioned for him to sit down. The group were unsmiling as they took their places, with Mike's fellow men standing at a safe distance.

They got down to business.

* * *

Mike woke up to a knocking at his front door. Growling under his breath, and irritation pricking at him, he dragged himself out of bed. He pulled on a pair of jeans and made his way to the front door, expecting his comrades who had decided to turn up at his doorstep for whatever fucking reason. He opened the door and was momentarily taken aback at the sight of a familiar face. _For fuck's sake,_ he thought furiously, scowling in annoyance at the leather clad blonde beauty with blue dip dyed hair, and a nose piercing, who was standing on his porch, and smirking at him.

'What the fuck are you doing here, Jennifer?'

'Is that any way to greet a _friend,_ Mike?' She pouted and stared at him alluringly, flicking her eyes daringly down his form. Mike glared at her, inwardly fuming. Jesus, he didn't have time for this. She just doesn't take no for an answer. This pathetic little act of hers. It was fucking laughable.

'What makes you think we're _friends,_ Jennifer?' He grumbled irritatingly. 'Listen here, I don't have time for this right now.'

'Oh, come on. You know you're happy to see me.' She looked at him with wide eyes, batting her lashes. 'Did I wake you up? Sorry about that honey, I forgot you're not a morning person. Well, actually.' She checked her watch. 'Should I say, you're not an _afternoon_ person either,' she teased, quirking her perfectly drawn eyebrow flirtatiously.

Before he could retort, she had pushed past him and entered his residence. 'I see this place hasn't changed one bit.' She walked through his trailer, which as always, was an absolute mess. Books, leftover food and paperwork was scattered everywhere, and his laptop was sitting on a pile of old magazines. Mike could never be bothered to clean it all up. 'Then again,' she shrugged, looking back at him with a devious smile, 'You were never one for redecorating.'

Mike sighed heavily, snapping. 'What are you doing here Jennifer?'

'I was hoping we could catch up Mikey. I haven't seen you in so long,' she simpered. She sauntered up to him slowly, in an undeniably seductive way, but it had no effect on Mike. He didn't fall for any of that crap anymore.

'That's because I was _busy,_ Jen, like always. Like now.' He gestured at the mess of paperwork around them. 'And you were busy too, screwing other guys if I remember correctly.'

'Oh, them?' She laughed. 'They were meaningless hook-ups Mikey, you know that. Admit it, you're glad to see me.' She was standing very close to him now. 'I know _I_ am.' She leaned up and whispered in his ear, and Mike grimaced. 'You're the only one for me.' She reached down towards his crotch, inching towards it slowly, while continuing to whisper. 'If you want, I can make you remember how good I can make you feel, huh?

Mike gritted his teeth. He badly wanted to shove her away and yell at her to get out. But he didn't. He didn't have a lot of morals, but if there was one thing he went by constantly, it was that he would never lay a finger on a woman. He had seen the extent of violence towards them first-hand. He wasn't a good man, but he would damn make sure he didn't become a monster, like _some_ people he could think of. So instead, he simply grabbed her wrist before it got to its destination. He looked at her threateningly.

'Leave. Now.' He told her in a dangerously low voice. 'I won't fucking ask you again.'

She looked at him for a moment, as if hoping he'd change his mind. She smiled slyly, as if she knew something he didn't.

'All right then, Mikey.' She held up her arms in a surrender, unfazed. 'Lighten up, babe. I just came by to let you know that I'm here if you ever change your mind and decide you do want me.' She smiled and winked, before pivoting, and sashaying out of the cabin, making sure Mike got a good view of her ass.

'Don't fucking call me babe, or I swear, I won't let you in again,' he warned.

She just rolled her eyes and smirked. 'Sure, you will. You might convince yourself that it's otherwise, but I know you still want me. You know it too.' She smiled and sauntered away. He slammed the door behind her.

'For fuck's sake,' he growled. Jennifer Hayes was a fucking nuisance that he really didn't want in his life. She was absolutely unbelievable. She obviously wanted them to be serious, stuck in her own ridiculous illusion that he actually liked her. Well for one thing, there was no _them_ and there never will be. Secondly, he didn't want to be in any serious relationship. His life was too fucked up for that. And thirdly, she was a fucking witch. It was a wonder anyone tolerated her at all.

His phone rang from its place on the coffee table, which still had last night's take-away pizza boxes on top. He knew he should probably do something about the overall mess in his trailer, but the truth was, he hated tidiness. He was never a tidy person and besides, well-kept and organised rooms gave him a headache. He much preferred being messy than sickeningly spick and span. Mike checked the caller's identity before answering.

'Byers.' He addressed his friend and most trusted companion.

'Mike, you gotta get down here.'

Mike sighed heavily. 'Jesus Christ, what is it now?'

'Dustin and Tommy H. are fighting again.' Mike tightened his grip on his phone, infuriated. _Of fucking course._

'What the hell? Didn't they listen to my fucking warning? What is it now!' He fumed, running his hands through his bed hair. It stuck up in all directions.

'I don't know, something about Dustin and Tommy's girl, but seriously get down here, and sort it out. They're both getting pretty messed up.'

'All right, all right, I'm coming. Try talk some fucking sense into them, while you're waiting, will you. We don't have time for pathetic brawls like this.' Mike ended the call, swearing furiously. He got dressed, pulling on his leather jacket, before going out the door, and going towards his motorcycle. _Oh, the joys of being fucking me,_ he though furiously as he revved up his motorcycle.

* * *

The Greasy Stirge was the most prominent hangout place for members of the Shadow Hydras. It was situated in the centre of Westside and it was open 24 hours a day, even on Sundays. The building itself was derelict and rundown looking, with boarded up windows and the broken lit up sign hanging on the roof outside only showing the words ' _Easy Tire',_ but it didn't faze anyone. Besides, the inside was much more appealing that it's outside appearance.

Mike entered the inn, which was only partly lit up by a reddish light, which cast an ominous glow on all its occupants. The bar ran alongside the left side of the room, while the other side had leather booths all along the length. A first-floor gallery ran along the sides of the room, the balcony overlooking the bar area. The middle of the room was occupied with pool tables. Right now, there was a huge crowd gathered around one of the pool tables and were cheering on at the dispute happening there.

Mike simply stood there, glowering, waiting for his presence to made known. One by one, people noticed him standing there, and immediately quietened, glancing at him in alarm. They quickly moved away to let him through and Mike ignored the nervous glances he was getting. Yet along with fear in their eyes, there was also respect. These men knew their place when they were around Mike and they knew better than to disrespect him in any way.

The crowd parted to reveal one man repeatedly punching one of his comrades on the pool table. Mike stood behind them, observing them coldly. At first, they didn't notice their leader standing there, but eventually, the man delivering the punches looked around to see why everyone was so quiet. Tommy's eyes landed on Mike, and his look lost the viciousness that was apparent seconds ago. It was replaced with a mixture of fear and respect, and he immediately let go of the groaning man on the table.

'Boss.' Tommy yelped as he stood to attention. He whacked the other man's shoulder. His eyes widened when he saw Mike and was up in a flash. He grinned toothily, his bloody mouth making his face look like a victim from a slasher movie.

'Men.' Mike said in a low voice. Dustin and Tommy exchanged glances and audibly gulped.

'Um boss we-, 'Dustin began, but Mike didn't want to hear it.

'What the fuck was it this time,' he growled irritatingly, penetrating them with his dark stare. Tommy stepped forward, his eyes blazing. 'Fucking Henderson here, has been screwing my girl!'

'How many times do I have to _tell you_! It was a one-time th-,' Dustin was silenced with another punch to his face. Tommy drew his fist back, ready to deliver more punches, but was held back by a couple of bystanders. He struggled against them furiously.

'Calm, yourself Tommy,' Mike told him calmly.

'No, I won't fucking-,'

'If I remember correctly, Carol dumped you two weeks ago.' He stood in front of Tommy, looked down at him like he was a piece of filth. Tommy, with all his toughness, cowered underneath his threatening stare. Dustin was doing the same and fidgeted when Mike moved his stare onto him. Mike scoffed, then turned his back to them and addressed the crowd.

'There is one thing that us hydras go by. And it is that we are brothers.' He paused momentarily, his eyes moving over the crowd. They were completely standing completely still. The inn was silent. 'We have each other's backs, _at all costs.'_

'Because you see, there are countless bastards out there, who want to eat us alive. They will stop at nothing to breach us from the inside and find any kind of weakness within us. If you keep continuing your fucking squabbling like a couple of spoilt kindergarteners, the hydras will become extinct. We will cease to exist. We will be wiped off this planet, our very existence shattered into nothingness.'

'So, if I see another fucking disagreement like this between either of my men, they will be fucking banished from the Shadow Hydras. No exceptions made. We can't afford to have anyone who is a fucking risk-taker.'

'I hope I have made my myself fucking crystal clear to all of you.' He glared at each person in the crowd through narrow eyes. Each person nodded sheepishly, looking away guiltily. A mirthless smirk played at his mouth. 'Good.'

As everyone shuffled away, a familiar face appeared next to him.

'Go clean Dustin up,' Mike said abruptly. Will nodded. 'Will do. Thanks boss.' Mike simply looked over at him with a glare.

'Don't fucking thank me. I'll thank you when you have these two asswipes dealt with.'

Will nodded again and moved away to do his bidding. Always the loyal one, Mike thought to himself.

* * *

He wasn't supposed to be here. Technically, he was breaking the law, but who the fuck cares. He broke the fucking law every minute of every day of his miserable life. But it wasn't for any usual reason this time. No.

He drove around the corner of the main street in Hawkins, following directions on his phone. He drove for another twenty minutes, making sure to stay hidden, until he finally arrived at a street full of big, vast, suburban houses with huge front gardens and expensive cars parked in the driveways and large garages.

The gang had always been on bad terms with the cops in town. Years ago, the town had been rife with crime and corruption, the police covering up the activities of gangs, including his own. That all changed when the mayor cracked down on law enforcement and gang activity, and as a result, many corrupt cops had been arrested. One of the cops who had enforced those laws was Jim Hopper himself.

That didn't mean of course, that there was no depravity left in the police department. Far from it in fact. Which was why Mike was driving through the forbidden part of town, following directions to the house of a cop that had been on the forefront of his mind ever since he had learned about suspicious activity within the district.

He was here because he had to track his enemy. Who just happened to be the chief, of all people. One of the most influential, respected and powerful men in Hawkins. He didn't know a lot about Jim, only that he had a wife and daughter. He didn't know anything about the wife yet, but he had already seen the daughter. Spoken to her, even.

He eventually reached a huge modern white house around the middle of the street. Number 22. Mike hesitated before driving up and parking on the curb across from the house. Now that he could see the chief's house properly, he began to take mental notes of what he saw.

The front garden had a few large trees, that were almost as big as the house itself. A bench swing with cushions was hanging from one of the large branches and swinging gently in the breeze. Large flowerbeds surrounded the patio, their colours so bright and vibrant he wouldn't have been surprised if they were fake. The house was starkly white, and it looked as though it never got dirty. The windows were shining like they had daily cleaning. Nothing scared Mike, but he couldn't help but shiver with disgust at the over-the-top appearance of the house. It all looked so painstakingly false. Who fucking liked living like this?

He continued to observe the house, hoping to see if the chief himself showed up. His car wasn't parked in the driveway, which meant he wasn't home yet. Although, he knew the schedules of the police there thanks to his informants. They had informed him an hour earlier that he had left the police station, intent on going home. It was now nine pm. He should be here by now.

He quickly sent an update to a couple of people, then set down his phone, waiting for a reply.

If the chief had left the station an hour ago, and he still wasn't home, then that only meant one thing. He clenched his fists, cold fury roiling in him.

He blinked when he noticed a familiar figure take the rubbish out. That girl again. She looked distracted as she dragged the bin bags out, her curly hair slightly bouncing as she hurried down the drive. He ducked down in his seat, but she didn't notice him, too intent on getting her chore done. He watched her carefully, her small form managing the bags of rubbish. She was so slight, like a pixie, almost.

His phone started buzzing with an oncoming call, and he practically pounced on it, his heart racing as he hoped for updates - only to feel a flash of irritation when he heard the voice. It was Lucas, babbling about some problem with a certain cargo that was supposed to be arriving today.

He grudgingly told him he was on his way, before hanging up. He looked back up to the house, just when the chief's daughter disappeared around the back again.

He groaned to himself. If she saw him outside, she would probably get the wrong idea. It wasn't right, watching her from afar, and parked outside her house, even though he wasn't actually here for her. That bastard of a father she had was his real problem. He just had to deal with him in a way that didn't involve her. No way was he going to let her get caught in the middle of it. It certainly didn't help that she happened to be one of the most attractive girls he had ever seen.

The phone buzzed again, and he glanced at it tiredly. His eyes widened when he read the text, which was from Will. _He's in Abbey Street._ The phone buzzed again with another frantic text from him. _Get here now._

His mouth tightened angrily. He should have known. Of all the locations, he was at that place again. Mike wasn't one bit surprised. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, resisting the urge to look back at the house as he drove off.

Mike stood outside a convenience store on a smaller street in one of the main parts of town, and drinking a coffee. He was dressed in casual attire, hoodie, jeans and a pair of sunglasses. So far it was pretty quiet. He had originally started the day like any other, taking care of some business at his place. But then he had ventured out into the Eastside, intent on seeing a certain person again that he had just let into his life. He smiled at the thought of her as he took gulps from his espresso. He would have stayed longer if possible. He sighed, pushing down his gloom. Next week, he promised himself.

Someone came walking around the corner, leaving the convenience store and he looked over, mid-sip. He almost choke on his hot beverage, raising his eyebrows in astonishment when he saw who it was. It was her. That Hopper girl. _Really?_ he thought, slightly frustrated. _Of all goddamn stores in this town, she chooses this one._

She seemed to be in a hurry, nearly jogging along the footpath and her bag bouncing against her back. Her hair was mostly concealed by another oversized hoodie, except for a few curls sticking out in cute frizzes from underneath the hood. She was checking her watch every two seconds, as if she was running late for something. She suddenly pulled down her hood and ran a hand hastily through her shoulder length chocolate curls, trying to neaten the hair as best as she could.

Mike watched as she unzipped her bag, rummaging around for something while still hurrying along. She was so preoccupied, that she still hadn't noticed him. He knew then, that she was going to walk right past him if he didn't do something. He sneered with amusement. _Oh, this is going to be fun,_ he thought gleefully, taking off his sunglasses.

Just as she was walking by, he stepped out from his hiding place in a split-second decision, right in her path. She gave a little ' _Oh'_ of surprise as she rammed into his shoulder, and losing her balance, was knocked over onto the pavement. She landed on her elbows with a yelp, her open back spilling out a couple of books.

'Watch where you're going, sweetheart.' Mike said in amusement, sneering at her. _Oh, this is perfect._

'Sorry, I'm so sorry, I-I wasn't looking-.' She stopped her babbling abruptly when she looked up at him. She reached up a hand to slightly grasp her throat in shock, and her eyes and mouth were frozen wide open in an expression of stunned surprise. Her face was a mixture of shock, fear, panic, and something else, something indistinguishable.

'Well, hey there princess,' he said, feigning surprise. 'Long time, no see.' It had only been four days, but he wasn't about to say that.

'Y-you,' she stammered. A mixture of suspicion, fear and infuriation flashed in her eyes. 'What the hell are you doing here?'

He cocked his head at her, narrowing his eyes. 'Is it a crime to take a walk in Hawkins and enjoy this lovely weather?', he drawled, his eyes flicking over her. He tossed his empty coffee in the bin next to him.

'Well, I'd say it's a crime for _you,'_ she answered back.

He gave a little sneer, penetrating her with a dark stare. 'It's only a crime if _I_ say so, rich girl. I see you're still as disrespectful as ever. Hasn't mommy ever taught you manners?'

She scoffed as she pushed herself off the ground, dusting herself as she did so and picking up her books. ' _I_ see you're still an arrogant little pissface. Come here to pick on some old ladies for a change?'

He took another step towards her, shoving his hands in his pockets. 'I don't know if I've made it clear to you yet, princess, but I don't take nicely to insults.'

'Oh boohoo, as if I care about your feelings,' she snapped at him. 'The world doesn't revolve around you, mister. So get the hell over yourself.'

He knew this girl had made offensive comments to him that other night, but her outright rudeness just astonished him. He scowled at her. 'You do realise who I am, right?'

She just smirked at him, pretending to think for a moment. 'Oh yeah, I know who you are,' she said sweetly. 'You're the leader of the Shadow Hydras, a gang that deals with drugs and cartels and God knows what else what. You're a fucking criminal who I don't want to waste my time with. So just go home and fuck yourself a thousand times, "Hell-Raiser Mike", because I'm sure that's what you do best.' She used made quotation marks with her fingers in a sarcastic way as she said his nickname.

He raised an eyebrow at her. 'You're a fiery one, aren't you,' he remarked. He leaned down towards her, his lip curling as he whispered. 'I like those ones best.' He looked at her again to see her eyes widening, and before he had time to chuckle, he felt a crushing pain on his foot.

'Fuck! Ow!' Man, that girl could hurt people. She shoved past him, but he grabbed a hold of her, gripping her shoulders tightly. His foot didn't hurt as much as he made it out to be, but he wanted to let her know, that no one, _no one,_ was allowed to get away with that. 'What the fuck, woman?', he snarled.

'Don't you _dare,'_ she spat at him. 'Don't you dare talk like that to me. Pervert!'

'You shouldn't have done that,' he told her in a low threatening voice. 'Now. Apologise to me.'

She gave him an incredulous look, 'Are you joking me? No!'

Even though he was infuriated with her, he couldn't help but realise how much he was enjoying this dispute. In fact, he was having more fun than he had in a long time, strangely.

He managed to keep himself from smiling, as he said to her, 'I said. Apologise. Or I will make you fucking regret the day you were born.'

She just tilted her head at him, her big brown eyes sparkling as she spoke to him. 'Wow, you certainly have a way with the ladies. Your poor future wife,' she said mockingly. 'Well. If she even exists.'

'Say that again, _Jane,_ go on I dare you. _'_ He smirked when she audibly winced at the name. 'Oh yeah. I do my research, princess.' She stared at him stonily as he spoke threateningly. 'Or should I say, _Jane!'_

He had finally found out from one of his informants what her name was, when he had met with him the previous night for another report on the chief. Along with a few other interesting details about the Hopper family.

He expected her to look freaked at the knowledge that he knew her name, but instead she looked like she was about to explode. 'Don't you dare fucking call me that, you dick,' she snarled at him and shoved him away. She penetrated him with a look of pure disgust, letting him know her true thoughts about him. Strangely, it didn't bother him as much as he thought it would.

'Well, I don't take orders from _anyone_ , Jane. You got that?', he mimicked her.

'The amount of fucks I give about what you say, is exactly _zero_ ,' she retorted, emphasizing the word _zero_ by making an 'o' sign with her fingers. 'Don't come near me again, dickwad,' she spat at him, before whirling and marching off. Seriously, that _mouth_ of hers. If he didn't know any better, he'd say she was a Westsider.

'Till the next time, _Jane_ ,' he called out to her, unfazed by her attitude. 'And remember princess, I'll be expecting a proper apology from you. So, you'd better have one.' He wasn't very loud, but he knew she heard him.

Her answer was throwing him the middle finger as she walked away, not turning around. He just grinned to himself, chuckling in amusement. She was either incredibly stupid or incredibly brave, in regards to the way she spoke to him. Or else, she just didn't give a fuck. He didn't know where this girl had come from, but by God was he glad she existed. He needed a little bit of entertainment in his life, and this humorous ongoing little spat with the chief's daughter had maybe become one of the only things that kept him from drowning in his own self-loathing.

* * *

The night was foggy, having become a starless, moonless sky. The low sky has become a ceiling of grey black rock above. Only the wind and lingering drops of rain let Mike know that he was in the open. He stayed concealed in the shadows behind some large bushes, taking advantage of the darkened corner of Maple Street. This was one of the nicer suburban streets in Hawkins, and even at night he felt very out of place, what with his Suzuki and clothing that clearly marked him as a prominent gang-member. He gazed out at the house before him. It was complete darkness behind the closed curtains of the first floor. It was completely still, with no sign of any movement in the house. But Mike knew better.

Mike heard a quiet roaring in the distance and he made sure he was completely hidden as he observed the approaching motorbike. The biker parked silently beneath a nearby tree and waited, looking at the house expectantly. Sure enough, the back door opened and a woman silently crept out. Mike smouldered with resentment as he watched her sneak through her dark yard. He was too far away to see her face, but he knew exactly who it was. He had never spoken to this woman in his life, but he knew everything about her. He came here often enough that he knew every filthy little secret that hypocrite had to hide from her perfect nuclear family.

Mike's insides twisted in disgust as he made out what she was wearing in the dark. A tight red dress going up to her thighs, ridiculously high spike-heeled boots, and a skimpy leather jacket. A face full of make-up as well, no doubt. Not what a married, respected, middle-class mother of two, should be wearing. Making sure to stick under the shadows so no one would see her, she eventually made it to the motorcycle. Mike was stony-faced as he watched her get on behind her suitor and wrapped her arms around his middle. He clenched his fists tightly as he watched them rev up and race away.

Mike wanted more than anything to take his anger out on something. Right now, it was bubbling up inside of him, rage quickening his blood. Even after all this time, that bitch still hadn't learned her lesson. It was like she was completely unable to stop, like fucking addiction. Mike was furious as he thought about the house's sleeping occupants. How could she do this? To them! To him.

She had gotten away with it for so long, Mike was surprised that no one had gotten suspicious. That fucking lying, two-faced sneak. She's been seeing this guy for four months now. That was surprisingly longer than any of the others. Including his dad. His resentment for that despicable woman grew like a tumour. She just didn't care. She never cared for anyone except herself, and sadly that was how it was always going to be.

His mother was a fucking witch.

Staring at the house darkly, he revved up his engine and then drove away into the night.


	3. Chapter 3

El woke with a start to the horrible sensation of her hair being pulled roughly. She cried out as she was dragged from her narrow bed, and suddenly tumbled onto the hard ground. Another hard jerk that nearly cracked her neck to one side, and she was forced to kneel on the floor, her knees digging into the hard concrete. She gritted her teeth to stop herself from yelling out in pain. This wasn't surprising though. It wasn't the first time she woke up to something like this, to _her_ raging at her for some petty reason. It probably wouldn't be the last time either.

'You ungrateful little _bitch_! ', s _he_ hissed in her ear. She pulled harder at a hank of hair, as if she was trying to rip it from her scalp. It was painfully obvious she wanted to. El wanted to fight back, but she knew that there would be even worse consequences if she did.

She felt a fist crack across her face, snapping her head back. It banged hard against the bed frame, and she gasped as a sharp, throbbing pain formed on her temple. She barely had time to recover before the hand reconnected to the other side of her face, accompanied with a sharp, burning sensation below her eye. Her head was jerked abruptly to the other side, the bones in her neck cracking horribly.

Black dots filled her vision, and El felt a sharp sting below her eye where _her_ ring had hit her. Something warm was trickling down her cheek and the throbbing pain in her head was causing her vision to blur painfully. She gasped when without warning, a hand gripped the front of her top, roughly pulling her to her feet. El grunted as she was violently thrown to the concrete floor, throwing out her hands in front of her automatically to prevent break her fall. Her hands scraped against the concrete, and she winced as she felt tissues of her skin being torn off.

'How dare you! You ungrateful whore!' Diane hissed behind her. She brutally grabbed her hair again, her long manicured nails scraping against her scalp, and yanked hard on it. El pressed her lips together as her head was forced backwards.

'I work for this house. I work for the food on your plate. I work for the school fees that your fucking mother asked us to pay for in her will. I work for _everything,_ in your miserable, pathetic life!' She breathed heavily, obviously seething. El did her best to ignore the pain, biting the inside of her gums and forcing herself to stare at the door in front of her. Trying to block out the pain.

'We don't ask much of you. Yet you treat us like filth, spitting on us, as if we haven't spent the last ten years raising you like our very own. And yet. You deliberately leave the kitchen window open, just to spite me. Isn't that why you did it? You thought I wouldn't notice?' El could only grunt in pain, which turned into a silent shriek as she felt a hank of her hair being torn off her scalp. Her head felt like it was on fire.

Her stepmother threw her roughly to the ground again, making a noise of disgust. 'You make me sick! Do your chores properly you little skank. If I ever catch you again, there will be no dinner for a week! Do not _ever,_ disobey me again.'

With that, she marched from the room, her heels clacking against the floor. She slammed the door shut, making it shake on its unsteady hinges. El lay there on the floor in her thin pyjamas, shaking slightly, and trying to steady her breathing. She could feel a lump forming on her temple, and blood was dripping from her cut onto the floor. She would have to clean that up, before anyone saw it.

El brought her hand gingerly to her scalp, and winced as she felt the stinging bald patch on her head. Her hand came away slightly bloody. She clenched her fists tightly, hate bubbling up inside of her.

She sighed, grimacing as she forced herself off the floor and slowly made her way to the bathroom on the other side of the basement, making sure to hold onto the wall as she did so. She was having trouble seeing a few feet in front of her. The sensation that she was about to lose consciousness came over her, and she gripped the wall, trying her best to focus.

She stumbled into the tiny bathroom, turning on the light and turned on the tap at the sink. She examined her injuries in the mirror. An incision below her eye was clearly visible. She carefully wiped away the drying blood. Some of it had already trickled down her face and neck and stained her top. El would worry about that later. She didn't flinch as she took out the iodine from the first aid kit and applied it to her cheek. The stinging no longer bothered her. She took out a bandage and carefully cut it up, sticking it carefully onto the cut. Luckily, it wasn't too bad. She had had worse cuts than this.

Stumbling as she did so, she then fetched a bag of ice from the walk-in freezer next to the bathroom, which was one of the reasons why the basement was always cold, and held it to her head, keeping pressure on it. She gripped the sink tightly with her other hand, letting the cold water run and simply stared blankly at her reflection. Her reflection stared back with a dead look in her eyes.

The hate and fury rapidly flowed through her veins, shutting down all other feelings, including her pain. As much as she tried to obey her, as much as she did her best to keep out of her way, she was inescapable. The emptiness spread through her, the hole widening and swallowing her emotions. She didn't let any tears fall. She never cried anymore when this happened. She felt nothing, saw nothing, and heard nothing for the next few minutes, or half hour, or whatever. El couldn't tell. The sound of running water drowned out all other noises, so it was all she heard at the back of her mind. She was a numb, emotionless state.

A familiar shriek of her name snapped her out of her daze, and she blinked rapidly. She quickly grabbed a few cotton pads and hastily dabbed them on her raw scalp. She would have to wear a beanie to school today.

Luckily, she wouldn't have to face the problem of washing her hair, as she had already had her shower the previous night. She was not allowed to take it at the same time everyone else in the house did, which was the morning. Which meant for her, the water was always cold, _and_ it was always restricted to at least five minutes. Diane claimed that it was easier for everyone if she had her shower separately. More like it was easier for _her._ The showering issue was the least of her problems though. At least she could have showers at all.

El threw the bloody cotton pads in the bin and paused as she caught sight of her sleeves. She slowly pulled them up and examined her arms. She no longer flinched at the sight. Long red thin scars ran along the length of her arm, some older than the others. Some were perfectly in line, and others were messily scattered in random areas. She traced her finger along the cuts, running down the length of them. She always used the shower as an opportunity to do this. It was the only place where she could truly be alone. For five minutes, she could have no interruptions and no worries. Until her stepmother turns off the shower, forcing her to get out, even if her hair was only half done.

The cutting numbed her pain, and it helped to shut out all other emotions. It didn't even hurt that much, and she no longer recoiled or cried at the pain. She had grown used to it. Glancing at her watch, she quickly pulled up her sleeves, covering them up.

El removed the ice pack from her head, and was relieved to find the lump had shrunk. It would just leave a bruising. She made her way back to her room, her vision no longer as blurry. She pulled on jeans that she had ripped up herself as she couldn't afford any of those expensive shop-bought ones, and grabbed a navy hoodie. Her converse shoes were scuffed and dirty, and were at least one size too small for her, but she knew better than to ask for money for more shoes. The only other ones she had were her PE runners.

She stood in front of her tiny mirror as she brushed her hair, gritting her teeth in discomfort at the soreness of her scalp. She couldn't see the bald patch as it was at the back of her head, so she accidently kept on grazing at the raw parts, causing more throbbing aches at her scalp.

As soon as she had deemed her hair acceptable, although this was an issue every morning, as she was not allowed to use proper hair products, so it was always in frizzes, she pulled her beanie on, carefully covering the back of her head and the forming bruise on her temple. She also pulled some shorter curls out from underneath the beanie on her forehead, carefully making sure that the bruising was completely covered up.

El quickly shoved her school books in her bag. She had been up all night doing homework, after hours of her daily chores, including cooking dinner, and she knew she looked like a wreck. But as long as everything else was covered up, she was fine. No one will give her a second look. Lugging her bag over her shoulder, she jogged up the stairs just as she heard that monstrous voice yell for her again.

Diane was waiting for her when she reached the kitchen. 'Your father and sister are getting up in a few minutes. I expect the dishwasher emptied, the table wiped down and set, floor swept and breakfast served in ten minutes,' she told her bluntly, her cold blue eyes glaring at her in distaste. Her blonde hair was perfectly done up, her make-up was on fleek and golden hoop earrings were dangling from her ears. She was dressed up in one of her work suits – a black knee-length dress that hugged her figure and matching black high heels. 'And close that fucking window, will you? I'm getting a cold just standing here!' She snapped at her before whirling and marching from the room.

El knew that _she_ knew perfectly well, that the kitchen had already been cleaned the night before. But that was never good enough for her, always expecting the kitchen to be cleaned every time she ordered her to. Which meant every evening, and nearly every morning. It was obviously another reason her stepmother had pulled her out of bed half an hour before her usual getting up time.

And as for the window? El wanted to let some air in for a few minutes, and had forgotten to close it. She was so preoccupied with her chores, that had slipped from her mind and _then,_ of course, she had to go complete her history assignment, as well as study for algebra. But was that really any reason to rip a hank of her hair out?

El set to work, sweeping the floor, wiping down the table and unloading the dishwasher. She prepared her father's usual sandwich, and putting on toast and toasting eggos. El loved eggos but she wasn't allowed to have any, due to that very reason.

Her father and sister came down to the kitchen just when El had finished setting out breakfast. Her father muttered a good morning as he sat down at his place, and immediately began drinking his coffee. He opened his morning newspaper, which El had set down just before he came in.

Sara shoved past her, muttering a ' _move'_ as she did so. She was dressed in one of her usual fashionable outfits, and her golden hair flowed down her back in waves. Her face, eerily like her mothers, was also perfectly made-up. She looked about sixteen, not twelve. Her eyes were glued to her expensive new phone that she had recently received for her birthday, tapping out texts to her friends.

El grabbed the lunch bag that Diane had left for her and pulled her school bag onto her back, muttering a ' _bye'_ to her father and sister, before making her way to the hallway.

'That beanie is literally the dorkiest thing I have ever seen. Omigod, you have no fashion sense whatsoever Jane.' Sara remarked snidely from behind her. 'Who do you think you are, Ashley Spinelli?'

Jim chuckled amusedly, reaching out to ruffle Sara's hair as he drank his coffee. 'You're a funny kid Sara.'

'Ugh, shut up Dad.' She moved out of his way in annoyance, swatting his hand away. This didn't faze Jim, and he continued to chuckle. He didn't once acknowledge El, only glancing at her once as he continued to chuckle. He didn't even bother asking her about her sudden change of wardrobe.

Some part of El had hoped that her father would somehow pay more attention to her, especially after he had opened up to her about the difficulties he was having as Hawkins chief of police, trying fight a notorious gang. But sadly, she knew that at the same time, that with _her_ still around, things were unlikely to change.

El pushed her emotions away, and ignoring Sara's remark, left the kitchen and made her way to the utility. Just before she opened the back door, she felt an iron grip on her wrist, forcing her to stop.

'If anyone asks.' Diane said icily, El shivering at her dangerous tone. 'You slipped on a wet floor.' Her grip tightened and El knew she had to answer her quickly.

'Okay.' El said quietly. Diane didn't let go of her wrist, only gripping it even tighter, as if trying to leave bruises. 'Never disobey me again,' she hissed, 'Or there will be consequences, you worthless piece of shit.'

El swallowed, not looking at her. She quickly muttered an apology and Diane let go of her abruptly. El left the house, quietly closing the back door. She badly wanted to slam it so hard that the glass would shatter, but she knew that it would get her into even more trouble.

As she walked down her street, she couldn't help but look around nervously. She hadn't seen _him_ since that day he had bumped into her outside the supermarket. That was about two weeks ago, and he seemed to have had disappeared off the radar since then. El wasn't sure how to feel about that. But she was sure about one thing.

Her thoughts went haywire whenever she was around him, her heart would hammer against her chest at a million miles per hour and she would always feel a strange warmth pooling inside of her whenever they made eye contact. It was enough to make the little baby hairs on the back of her neck stand up. His eyes were just so alluring, they were like melted dark chocolate.

He was bad news pure and simple, she wasn't stupid. She always felt fearful and an urge to get away from him as soon as possible when she was with him. But as much as he intimidated her, she couldn't help but feel a strong pull towards him. He wasn't the kind of guy she'd fantasize about, but the way he'd look at her, with lust-filled, darkened eyes, and a dark smirk, both terrified and excited her.

No one had ever made her feel that way before. And that scared her the most.

Which was exactly why she had to ignore these feelings. It was just too risky for her. She couldn't afford to get herself in a situation like this, especially now, when she spends every day just trying to survive living with _her._ Every day for her, was a day on the battlefield.

Besides he probably doesn't even like her that way, or in _any_ way. He was obviously just angry about his motorcycle and had a bone to pick with her. Honestly, she hoped that was all it was. She would be more that thankful if it was. It had been two weeks. Maybe he had forgotten about her.

El hoped he had. The last thing she needed was more confusing feelings and drama.

* * *

'Troy! My man!'

El whipped her head around from her locker. The colour drained from her face and she suddenly found it hard to breathe. She gripped the locker door tightly. Surrounded by his usual gang of fellow football players, Troy swaggered along the corridor, a cocky smirk on his face. He was sporting a yellowish bruise on his head and his right arm was in a cast. His friends were slapping him on the back, and cheering him on. All the other students parted to let them past, cheering him on and looking at his injuries curiously.

El had survived a couple of weeks staying away from the jocks. Luckily, they were staying away from her as well. El should have felt relieved, but she felt an impending dread instead. She knew that they obviously hadn't forgotten the incident. They were simply waiting for the right opportunity to get their revenge.

From what El had heard from the loud whispers from other students, Troy and the other football players were apparently mugged by some Westside thugs. Troy had ended up unconscious, with a few broken ribs, bruised spine and a broken arm. He was in the hospital for a week. The other football players had gotten away with less serious injuries. There was a huge panic among the students and teachers over the fact that Westsiders had possibly made their way to Hawkins High school. Because of this, there were now a couple of police officers parked outside the school and keeping an eye on things.

El swallowed, rooted to the spot as he came closer. He hadn't noticed her yet, too preoccupied with messing around and talking loudly with his friends. She hoped fleetingly that he would simply walk right past her, and treat her like a part of the wall, like most other students. Just when he was going past her, when she hoped for a split second that he wouldn't notice her, he looked over in her direction and caught her eye.

A dangerously cold expression crossed his features, and his mouth turned upwards in a smirk. She was frozen, her body completely paralysed. It was clear he remembered everything that had happened that night. He knew exactly how he had gotten those injuries.

Before El could blink, he had moved on, continuing along the corridor with his teammates. El simply stood there frozen, only snapping out of her trance when the bell rang. She shoved her books in her bag and slammed her locker shut in a hurry, her heart in her throat. She had a problem.

* * *

The bell went for lunch time and El sighed with relief. Luckily, she barely had any classes with Troy, so she was mostly successful in avoiding him. Hopefully the rest of the day would stay that way. Keeping her head down, she quickly made her way to the library. She was looking forward to having a little quiet time with a book. Maybe even get some study done. She was aiming for an A+ in the next algebra test, which was being given out next week. She didn't want to give Diane another reason to lash out at her again.

Just when she got to the double doors of the library, she caught a glimpse of a figure through the window and immediately stopped in her tracks. Her heart rate sped up. She quickly ducked out of sight, her back pressed against the wall beside the doorway _._ She desperately hoped they hadn't seen her. _Oh God no. Why? Why here?_

Troy was there at the reception desk, talking to the receptionist. Playing the role of the perfect student, as usual. A couple of other jocks were also there, hanging around him and casually looking around the library. Almost as if they were waiting. Keeping an eye out for her.

She wanted to smack herself for being so stupid. She did so just a second later. Her cheek stung from the impact, but she barely noticed. _Stupid El,_ she thought furiously. _You stupid fucking idiot._ She should have known that they would do this. That they would try corner her. They've now taken away the only place in this stupid school where she could be alone. So fucking predictable.

El sighed heavily. She would have to find a different place to have lunch. Her eyes spied an old girl's bathroom opposite her. It was no longer in use, as was stated by the sign taped to the door. It was likely not very sanitary, but it would do as a hiding place.

Taking a quick look around to check no one was around, El made her way to the door. She was relieved to find that it was unlocked. Clearly the caretaker was careless when it came to locking doors. Checking again that no one was in the corridor, El let herself in and closed it behind her quickly. No one would find her here.

She turned around, and almost let out a yelp, her heart jumping to her throat. _Jesus Christ,_ she thought. A girl was sitting on top of the sinks, looking equally as shocked at the unexpected company. She also looked understandably pissed off. Her school bag was sitting next to her, and she was holding a wrap in her hand. Small plastic bags filled with what was almost certainly weed, were spread out all over the counter.

'What the hell are you doing here?' The girl snapped, glaring at her furiously. El didn't remember seeing her around school before. She couldn't place her face at all. Then again, she never paid attention to anyone in school, let alone talked to them. She was unsociable that way. This girl had long red hair that was shaved along one side in a punk style and was dressed in punk like clothes, with ripped jeans, halter top, and silver chain jewellery. She was also wearing Doc Martens to top off the whole look. She was wearing black eye make-up, which made her look even scarier and punk-like. She was definitely one of those girls that could make guys piss their pants with one look.

'Oh God I-I,' El spluttered. _Dammit._ 'I thought this was empty, I'm – so so sorry.'

'You should be! This is _my_ hang out place. Where else am I supposed smoke weed in this shit hole?' The girl snarked, folding her arms and glaring at her. 'Go find somewhere else to hide.'

'Okay - oh – I- I'm not hiding,' El tried to clarify in a seemingly convincing tone, shaking her head. _Christ, another unwanted situation. Why am I so jinxed?_ she thought furiously.

The girl raised her eyebrows at her. She didn't seem to believe her. Of course, she she's unconvinced. 'So, you were just looking for an empty room for no good reason?' She asked in an unimpressed voice.

El desperately racked her head for an excuse. 'Um, well – the library is packed so I just thought I'd come here to study, you know?'

'In an abandoned girl's bathroom?' El nodded.

The girl studied her, narrowing her eyes in thought. 'You're Jane, right? Jane Hopper? The chief's daughter?' She nodded as she studied her, taking another bite from her wrap. 'Yeah I've seen you around.' She spoke with her mouth full, chewing noisily. 'Cool beanie by the way. It suits you.'

El's mouth fell open, completely taken aback at her blunt statement. She had never seen this girl before at school, let alone even knew her name - yet she knew exactly who she was. El was baffled. How was that possible? She thought no one cared enough to even know her name. She thought she was doing a good job of staying invisible. Generally, when people mentioned the chief's daughter, they were talking about Sara. El always slipped under the radar.

'How-how do you know my name?' El said slowly, cringing at the tameness in her voice.

The girl shrugged. 'I know everyone's name at this school. I make it my business to know the general details about each and every person I come across.'

El raised her eyebrows. 'Oh, um – okay?'

The girl laughed at her expression. 'I'm not a stalker if that's what you think. I'm just very – observant, let's put it that way. I have an excellent memory, if I do say so myself,' she smirked. 'I even know all the teacher's full names. Believe me, some are fucking hilarious.' She paused. 'But basically, if I ever want to intimidate anyone, even if I've never spoken to them in my life, all I have to do is call them by their full name. It always freaks them out.'

'Well you definitely freaked me out.' El said honestly. She found herself slightly more at ease with this unusual girl. 'I don't think anyone at this school knows who I am. And those are just the students.'

The girl shook her head. 'Naah. You might think that, but I've definitely heard people talk about you. Not by name, of course, but it was pretty obvious who they were talking about. The weirdo who wears old dark clothes and always has her hood up. The school freak who always covers her face, plus her entire body and spends every day avoiding everyone. Super smart, but doesn't say a word. Stacy's favourite victim to – well – victimize. Only about a handful of people know you're the chief's daughter. Which definitely explains why those dimwits never leave you alone. Oh, and of course you're the girl all the jocks like to harass.'

El bit her lip, as she listened to her. She shrugged, not caring about what she was hearing. 'I stopped caring what people thought about me a long time.'

'Why are you hiding from everyone then?'

El opened her mouth but no answer came out. She realised then, that she couldn't reply to that question. The girl kept talking, ignoring her hesitation.

'You like being on your own, is that it?' El nodded. That was part of the answer anyways.

The girl stared at her thoughtfully, cocking her head to one side. 'So, you're not avoiding Troy and his goons then?'

El froze, gaping at her in shock. The girl grinned triumphantly, throwing the remainder of her wrap in the bin. 'Knew it.' She saw El's expression and rolled her eyes.

'Relax. I'm not going to tell them you're here. Who do you think I am?' She smiled at her reassuringly, leaning back against the counter. El relaxed a little bit, but she felt a tight feeling in her stomach. Does she know about-?

'Uh – how do you know that, may I ask?' El asked her cautiously.

'I'm an observer. I know everything that's going on at this school. Every little scandal, every little habit people have. Which does not make me a gossiper by the way.'

'I-I never said you were one.' El told her. The girl smirked playfully. 'Great. Oh, and there's no reason for you to go. Now I know that you're here for a plausible reason, I guess I could allow you to stay. Plus, you make great company. Please, make yourself comfortable.' She made room beside her on the counter. El hesitantly jumped up beside her, swinging her legs slightly.

The girl grabbed a bag of weed. 'You want some?' El shook her head. She had never taken weed in her life and wasn't planning to anytime soon. 'Um, no thanks. I don't do drugs.'

'You sure?', the girls coaxed. 'It's really good. And it doesn't kill you, which is a plus.' El hesitated for a moment, briefly considering on taking up her offer, before declining. She couldn't risk Diane finding out. The girl shrugged, unfazed. 'Suit yourself. All the more for me then.' She winked, before turning her attention to the weed.

There was a long stretch of silence, as the girl inhaled the weed, while El sat next to her awkwardly, trying not to gag at the stench.

'Do you do this often?' She asked her tentatively. The girl snorted. 'Do I do this often. Dude, I could live on this stuff.'

'Do you – do you like – do other-? '. El didn't finish her sentence, hoping she knew what she was alluding to, and at the same time, not wanting to offend her.

'What?' The girl looked at her like she had ten heads. 'No! Jesus, like, I would never – no I swear to you, I wouldn't touch any of that other shit, even if my life depended on it.'

'Oh right.' El felt a sense of relief. 'Right, of course, yeah, I'm sorry. Shouldn't have asked that.'

'No, it's okay. Honestly, I'd say people think I do, just because of my background.' She took another drag. 'My boyfriend does though. _Okay_ , well, he doesn't actually _take_ the stuff. Not under my watch. But he's a dealer.'

El gaped at her, completely shocked. She wasn't sure that she heard right. 'You're dating a drug dealer?'

The girl shrugged. 'What else is there to date in the Westside?' She said as she took another drag.

'Woah, wait.' Everything clicked into place. 'You're from the Westside? Like – you live there?' She was staring at her, dumbfounded.

The girl grinned, holding up her hands. 'Guilty as charged.'

'But how – how do you go here then?' El didn't want to be nosy, and she quickly realised she probably seemed like that to her. So, she quickly added, 'Sorry, I don't mean to pry, you don't have to answer that.'

'Relax.' The girl laughed. 'I'm not offended. I'm on a scholarship here. My step-dad is the caretaker, and I got offered free education here.' She scowled slightly. 'I should feel lucky you know? My mom keeps telling me what a great opportunity I have here, in this private school in the main town. And yeah, it's better than Westside high. Like by a million miles.'

She sighed heavily, running a hand through her long red hair. 'But honestly? It's a shitty school system. Fuck, I mean in freshman year, a jock grabbed my ass, so I kneed him in the balls good and hard.' El's mouth fell open at this. The girl smirked at her reaction. 'I told them what he did. It was completely self-defence on my part. But the fuckers wouldn't listen. So, the jerk got off with absolutely no trouble at all, and I got suspended for two days. But - you know what?' She looked at El sideways, a giddy smirk on her face. 'It was totally worth it anyways.'

El smiled back at her. With this girl, she had something in common. At least someone shared in her frustration with this school. They were silent for another few minutes.

'What year are you in?' El asked her, in a poor attempt to continue the conversation. _Smooth El, real smooth._

'Same year as you.' The girl said shortly. 'Junior year. Just turned seventeen last month. I'm not in any of your classes in case that's what's you're thinking.'

El nodded, racking her brain. 'I'm gonna be seventeen next month.' She paused for a moment. 'And what teachers do you have?'

The girl looked over at her with an unimpressed expression. 'What is this, twenty questions?'

'N-no.' El mumbled, feeling embarrassed. _Great, she's already unimpressed._ 'Just trying to start a conversation, I guess.'

The girl studied her, frowning slightly. Her eyes narrowed, as if she was working something out in her head. She shook her head in disbelief. 'You've never had a proper conversation with anyone your age, have you?'

El blushed, too embarrassed to answer and avoided eye contact with her. This girl had already sussed her out.

The girl took that as a yes. She took another drag, looking smug. 'Right. Okay. Because, _wow_. I have to admit, _you_ \- are super awkward.' She sounded amused. 'Like seriously, does your life _just_ revolve around school?'

'Well - in my house, it's all that matters,' El found herself saying before she could stop herself. Her mouth was moving on its own accord. 'It's all that expected of me. Excel or face the consequences.' She bit the inside of her gums to prevent herself from revealing anymore. She said too much already. She stared at the floor, cringing. She was sure the girl would think she was pathetic.

'Well screw that.'

El whipped her head around. The girl was staring at her, her expression a mixture of outrage and sympathy. All traces of scorn in her face was gone. 'That is some fucked up shit.'

El shrugged, concealing her surprise at her sympathetic reaction. 'I'm used to it.'

'So, have you like ever had friends? Like – _at all?'_

El bit her lip, wondering if she could trust her. But one glance at the other girl's patient and quizzical looks she was giving her, El decided to let her guard down a little bit. She slowly shook her head.

The girl's eyes were wide, her mouth slightly hanging open. She closed her mouth and stared down at her shoes. 'Well fuck that.'

'Yeah.' El agreed. 'Fuck that.'

The other girl was silent for a moment. Then she threw the weed to one side and turned around to face her. Her bright green eyes sparkling. 'Miss Hopper, you have made a severe miscalculation. Now that we have been acquainted, I think you'd be very happy to find, that you do have a friend. Moi!' She did a jazz pose with her hands as she said it, raising one eyebrow comically, and El giggled despite herself.

'All right then.' El said laughing. 'Seeing as we're now friends, I guess we should introduce ourselves. I still don't know your name.'

The girl smiled back at her. All traces of toughness were gone from her expression, giving her a softer, kinder look. She held out her hand which was covered in black threaded wrist bands. 'Name's Max. Max Mayfield.'

El hesitated for a moment, still unsure about this sudden turn of events, and this unexpected kindness from a complete stranger, before taking her hand and shaking it. She gave a small smile back to her. She didn't know this girl, but she already felt a sense of peace and belonging - like she could trust her with anything. Like she could be herself around her.

She had never felt that way before. For the first time ever, she felt the courage to speak the words she believed would never be spoken.

'Everyone knows me by Jane - but you can call me El.' The moment she said it, she felt a weight lift off her shoulders. Like keeping that piece of personal info a secret was a burden she longed to be rid of, and she just never realised it.

Max grinned. 'El it is then. Fancy skipping the rest of the school day with me?'

'I – I can't. I have a geography pop quiz.'

Max pouted. 'Let's hang out after school then. Seriously, I'm not taking no for an answer. Your life can't just be about study and pop quizzes. I'm going to make sure of that.'

'I – ', El began, but stopped herself before she could make another excuse. Her father and Diane wouldn't be home until six, maybe half six. If she managed her time wisely, she could be home an hour before they arrive and still have everything done by then. It was only pasta this evening after all. She had known how to make that since she was about six years old.

Besides, she badly wanted to hang out with Max. She genuinely like her, and it was the first time anyone at school had shown any interest in hanging out with her. She was new with this whole friend thing. She never had a friend before, and was still unsure about how to handle it. But she knew she didn't want to mess this friendship up a mere two minutes after it was made. She took a deep breath. 'Yeah. Yeah, okay.'

Max grinned delightedly at her, her eyes crinkling. 'We - are gonna be a bitchin' team, El.'

* * *

El was smiling so widely she thought her face would crack. She couldn't help it. She had never thought she would be in this position. Strolling down Hawkins main street, with the last girl she thought she'd ever be friends with, laughing hysterically at what El had just told her.

'You're telling me, that you have never eaten chilli cheese fries – _in your_ _life!'_

'I've never even had a burger.' El told her honestly. Living with Diane meant that she never had enjoyed the everyday luxuries most teenagers were blessed with. Even canteen food was completely forbidden. 'But I mean, explain to me. What's so good about fast food anyways?'

Max stopped laughing and simply stared at her, her mouth gaping open. 'What – what is so good – _what is so good about fast food?'_ She nearly shrieked, completely flabbergasted. El took a slight step backwards in wariness. She tried to defend what she said without much success. 'Yeah, I mean – it's like, pretty unhealthy for you. I've seen documentaries about what too much fast food can do to you. And I'd like to live to see twenty-one, thank you very much.'

Max shook her head. 'Honey – fast food is – and mark my words when I say this – the food of _God._ '

El wrinkled her nose. 'Really? Come on, I doubt it's that good.'

Max sighed heavily. 'Okay, well surely you must have at least had a coffee before, El. I mean my mom swears on that stuff. And I swear, I will kill you on this very spot, if you say otherwise.'

El said nothing. Max stopped in her tracks and gaped at her.

'Wha-no – you-you never - you know what, _that's it_!'

Max grabbed her by the arm and dragged her along behind her. 'I am taking you to that store across the street– and I am getting _you,_ El Hopper, a coffee. Seeing as you're only a beginner, I'll just get you a latte.'

'Come on Max it's not ne-.'

'Ah-ah-ah.' Max waved her hand in front of El's face. She wasn't a very tall person, but compared to the likes of El, she was practically towering above her. 'No excuses. I am treating you, El Hopper – and you are going to be blown away by the almighty god that is coffee.' El couldn't help but giggle at her friend's eagerness.

She had no choice, but to let her determined new friend drag her into the convenience store. She shook her head in amusement.

* * *

Across the road, leaning against the wall of an alleyway and his motorcycle parked in the shadows, the notorious leader of the Hydras followed the movements of a familiar girl with his eyes as she walked along the street with a red-haired girl. She was smiling, something he had never seen before. And he had to admit, he was captivated.

Not taking his eyes off the store, he moved away from his leaning position against the brick wall, and strode with focused determination towards his destination.

* * *

El wandered idly around the shelves, looking at different food brands and picking up random items. Max was currently ordering a latte for her, as well as a mocha for herself. She seemed too caught up in a conversation with the old cashier guy, chatting with him about some people she didn't know. El got bored, and decided to have look around.

El wandered around the aisle, coming around the corner just when the door opened again, the bell chiming. El froze mid stride as she caught sight of the entrance and immediately ducked behind the shelf. Her breathing came out in rapid pants, with her heart beating wildly against her chest. Her mind could only register one word. _Fuck._

It was him. Jesus Christ, he was here. He was in the store. Why, why, _why_ , _WHY_ \- of all the stores in Hawkins did he have to come into this one?

Hastily pulling her hood over her head, concealing her beanie as well as her hair, she moved at a quick pace to the back of the store, where the alcohol and frozen items were sold. She did her best to calm herself down, breathing steadily all the while pretending to be interested in looking at frozen ice-creams.

 _He might not even see you_ , she told herself. _Hell, he might not even recognise you. He's probably forgotten about you already_. She did her best to convince herself of this.

A tall, intimidating figure appeared out of the corner of her eye and she swallowed hard. He slowly strode towards her. She busied herself with reading the different brands and flavours, turning away towards the other direction. She was in the far corner of the store, and they were the only ones in the aisle. She was trapped. _Fuck._

Her heart was going at an unforgiving pace. She felt him getting closer, his footsteps quiet but clearly audible. She bit her lip hard. She felt the warmth from his body and his quiet breathing as he stopped behind her.

 _Ben and Jerry's, Breyers…,_ she was reading desperately, trying to drown out the reality that he was now directly behind her, when without warning, a hand appeared at her left and braced itself against the freezer door. Before she had time to react, his other hand moved to the other side of her and leaned against the glass. Both arms were now on either side of her. Trapping her. Caging her in with his body.

El couldn't move a muscle, her heart in her mouth.

'Miss me?' He said sardonically. She swallowed again. He was very close, talking very quietly, almost in a whisper. She was painfully conscious of the fact that she could feel his body heat coming from him. Their bodies were almost touching.

'Are you stalking me,' she asked shakily, her eyes on the glass in front of her. Her stomach shifts uneasily.

'Believe me. If I were stalking you princess, I would be doing the more modern way. Namely, via the internet,' he murmured darkly.

'Is that supposed to calm me down?'

He chuckled, sending a shiver down her spine. He nudged her hood with his face, causing it to fall off her head. 'Well this is new.' He sounded amused. 'Then again. I figured you were a beanie girl. It's a nice change.' He chuckled, but there was no emotion in it. 'Tell me, why do I always find you dressed up like – oh I don't know. All covered up. Like an emo.' His breath fanned over her neck. 'I have to say. It really doesn't suit you.'

'Yeah well, I never asked for your opinion, did I.' El hissed. She was terrified someone would come around the corner, and catch them like this. Why couldn't he just leave her alone?

He suddenly leaned in closer to her, their bodies brushing together. His nose brushing against her curls. He breathed her in. El's heart hammered against her chest. Her breathing was getting heavier. 'So impolite.' He said sardonically. 'I'd expect more manners from a rich girl like you.'

'Stop calling me that.' His nicknames for her were really starting to piss her off.

'As you wish,' he mocked, sneering at her. 'What do you want me to call you then?' He murmured, moving his mouth next to her ear. 'Jane, maybe?'

'I just want you to _fuck off_.' She snapped at him. Her irritation soon turned into a gasp as he suddenly pressed himself against her, pushing her firmly towards the glass surface. His hard chest against her back. His arms still caging her in.

'Watch your mouth, Jane.' He said in a dangerously low voice. 'I'll still want that apology from you.'

'Yeah, well too bad you're not getting it.' Her voice came out in a shaky whisper. She was very aware of the fact that his crotch was grazing against her lower back.

He sneered emotionlessly. 'Well here's the thing, princess. I always get what I want.' He leaned closer, his mouth near her ear. His warm breath causing her baby hairs to stand up. 'Always.' He murmured dangerously. She took a sharp intake of breath as his lips brushed against her ear.

'Don't.' She whispered desperately. She wasn't just asking him not to just do it now. She was asking him not to do it at all. Ever. It was too terrifying for her to comprehend.

He paused momentarily. 'Are you sure?' He whispered. He leaned down towards the crook of her neck and brushed his lips against the skin there. El stopped breathing. He moved his lips at a painfully slow pace up her neck. Breathing her in.

El tried to remember how to breath, how to think. His arms were still braced against glass on either side of her, and her own hands were pressed against the glass as well. His warm lips were slightly tickling her skin as he moved achingly slow up towards her ear. Taking his time. He stopped at her ear. 'Are you sure you're sure?' El's voice was lodged in her throat. She sighed at the sensation of his lips brushing her skin.

'I know you want me.' He whispered darkly, before gently nipping her ear.

That sensation brought her back to reality. She snapped out of the trance. _What was she doing? They were in a convenience store for fuck's sake!_

'Stop.' She told him shakily.

'Do you want me to,' he inquired darkly. El swallowed.

'Just, please. Stop.' She pleaded quietly. She heard him breath out heavily through his nose, and he clenched his fists against the glass, as if trying to compose himself.

'Stay away from me.' She told him quietly. He said nothing, but reluctantly stepped back from her, letting her move away. As she began to walk away from him, he suddenly shot his hand and grabbed her wrist. She swallowed as he leaned, staying very still.

'What should I call you then?' He murmured.

Just then, Max's voice sounded out across the shop. 'El. Where are you? I have your coffee.'

El froze and slowly turned her head towards him. He had a triumphant smirk on his face, his eyes dark as they drank her in. 'El,' he murmured, his eyes trained on her.

El bit her lip and pulled her hand out from his grip. He let her, and simply stood there watching as she hurried away. Away from him.

Outside the two girls walked at a fast pace. Well El was. Who was also downing her coffee, despite the bitter taste, like it was the last bit of water left in the world.

'Jesus, El!' Max sounded mystified and amused. 'Didn't think you'd like coffee that much. Seems like I actually achieved something for once.'

She kept on babbling, while El tuned out, her voice a faint murmur in her ears. All she could think about was his voice in her ear, and feeling his lips brush against her neck. Warmth pooled inside her and shivers ran down her spine.

She was in trouble. Big time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi guys, I'm back! Firstly, I just want to thank you all for all your fantastic comments. Reading them has officially become my new favourite hobby!**

 **And before you read this chapter, I'd just like to clarify something. I know that my characters, especially Mike, are very different to the actual characters from Stranger Things. And I just like to say that while coming up with this story, I wasn't necessarily basing them on the Stranger Things characters. They might share the same names, but they have absolutely nothing in common. So when I was thinking up my character of Mike, I wasn't necessarily thinking about the actual Mike.**

 **Anyways that's all I wanted to say. Here's a new chapter! Hope you enjoy it X**

* * *

Hawkins was generally peaceful at night. All the shops and businesses were shut down for the night, and there was scarcely anyone out and about and wandering down the streets. All the citizens were safely shut inside their houses. Only the occasional drunk wandered by, way after closing time in the pubs. There wasn't a car driving around within a three-mile radius and the street lights were the only source of light at this time of night. The town was completely deserted, the silence almost chilling. This inky night was devoid of even moonlight or stars. It was completely quiet here, the stillness nearly deafening.

The same could not be said about the other side of the town.

The Westside was never quiet at night, what with all the public places in the area open for 24 hours a day, but tonight was for a special reason. Just outside this town, at the edge of Hawkins woods, which was a relatively remote area that was situated far enough from the main town, crowds gathered at the infamous Westside racing track. Here, chaos reigned supreme. This dangerous area was a sharp contrast to the humble, normality of the other side of the town.

Whenever this particular event came up in conversations, citizens would speak about with a mixture of outrage and fear. This racing track was famous for all the wrong reasons. Ever since its opening back in the fifties, there had been over eighty fatalities and over two hundred people had gotten injured. Here, illegal substances were publicly dealt and taken. But because it was backed by a good number of mobsters that lived in the state, not to mention that several racers often represented these powerful men, it was virtually impossible for the police to storm the area and seize whatever they wanted. The monthly Westside motorcycle racing was one of the most infamous illegal racing sports in the state

The crowds were massive. They always were, but there seemed to be even more tonight. Screaming and hoots filled the air, as the race goers anticipated themselves for an eventful night. People from all around, as well as Westsiders, came in numbers to watch the motorcycle racing, ages ranging from just their teens, to their late twenties. There were few people here that were over thirty.

It was a place where everyone got fucked up. Everywhere you looked, people were swigging cans of beer, and others on harsh alcoholic drinks, as they drunkenly cheered for whatever reason, while others snorted on cocaine in plain sight. Every five minutes there seemed to be a brawl between random people who had drunkenly decided to pick a fight. Loud rock music played through the speakers. It was utter madness, through and through.

Yet Mike felt at home here.

He scowled behind his dark helmet as he drove towards the racing track, his comrades flanking him on either side. Tonight, he was completely focused. He couldn't afford any distractions. This was another race. Another opportunity to prove himself. Not that he hadn't already done that, he thought, smirking slightly. But sometimes he liked giving people reminders that he was virtually undefeatable.

The crowd, despite their lack of sobriety, quietened as they noticed them approach. People parted to let them through, their expressions a mixture of wariness, fear and respect. Even the drunkards had enough sense in them to stay quiet. Groups of individuals who had previously been chanting other racers names, stuttered to a halt once they saw the gang members approach. Their eyes wide with fear once they saw the infamous red symbols on their leather jackets. Mike ignored them as they drove through.

They parked their motorcycles just beside the dirt track. Mike removed his helmet and looked around him darkly, glaring darkly at anyone who was staring. Motorcyclists came from all around to compete in this. As far as he could see, there were around twenty or so motorcyclists getting ready to line up. Several of them were casting wary glances in his direction. There was not one person here who didn't know who he was or hadn't at least heard about his reputation.

'Man. Those fuckers are about to get their asses whooped,' Dustin chortled, as he stared down the other racers. His curly hair was gelled back from his broad face, and he was smirking with amusement. He looked over at a couple of girls hanging over the bars staring in their direction, their expressions curious and he winked. They immediately giggled, waving at him flirtingly.

Mike rolled his eyes knowingly. Dustin was a lady's man, as they called it. He seemed to have a different girl every week.

'You mean, _you're_ about to get your ass whooped Henderson.' Lucas sneered. 'It'll take ten of you to defeat the boss here.'

'Not even,' Will agreed. He ran his hand through his gelled hair. 'But anyone who does beat Mike here – oh man, I wouldn't want to be in that poor fucker's place,' he joked, grinning knowingly.

'That's not gonna happen,' Mike said, glaring at them. He would damn make sure it wouldn't happen. Winning was something he exceled at. Besides no one would have the sense to try beat him. His friends immediately quietened down, knowing from the tone of his voice that he wasn't going to discuss it any longer.

There seemed to be a sudden disturbance in the crowd, catching their attention, and they turned towards the crowd. Mike frowned, narrowing his eyes. The crowd parted to let a group of motorcyclists through. The crowd also seemed very apprehensive with these people.

His muscles stiffened. They were also wearing leather jackets, but the green motifs on their backs, plus the unmistakable tattoos on their necks, made it clear that they weren't Hydras. Not by a long shot. Mike's blood boiled as he recognised the bikers. He clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white, and he smouldered with resentment as the fury twisted inside of him. _Those motherfuckers._

'What the hell…?', Dustin muttered, just as surprised as the rest of them. Mike felt his friend's gazes rest on him, as they waited for his next move. Mike ignored them, keeping his gaze on the newcomers. He got off his bike, the others following suit.

There were around five of them, and nearly all of them had a female riding behind them. Mike found his gaze focused on the middle biker, and flames of anger licked through him. He was brimming with hostility. That biker was all too familiar with him, as was his female companion.

They parked around twenty yards away from them, and as they removed their helmets, the woman got off the motorcycle. She was generally a very attractive woman, even at her estimated early forties. If a stranger looked at her though, she could pass as being in her mid-twenties. She was wearing a dark green dress this time, which was just as revealing as all the others. It hugged her figure, accentuating her curves, and she wore a cropped leather jacket. To anyone who knew her back in Hawkins, she was completely unrecognisable.

She was gazing at her surroundings with a hint of disinterest, almost as if she was bored. Of course, it wasn't her first time here. Mike knew that fact very well. He watched, fuming, as her suitor wrapped his arm around her middle and they began to walk towards the crowd. Just the very image of them together made Mike want to lose the plot entirely. He stepped forward, his veins flowing with anger.

'Hargrove!' He roared, striding up towards them with his fists clenched, his muscles tensing in aggravation. He could sense his comrades follow him, ready to back him up when necessary. Not that he needed it, he though darkly as he penetrated his biggest rival with a black look.

Billy Hargrove, leader of the Shadow Hydra's biggest rivals, the infamous, not to mention just as deadly, gang from the nearby city of Indianapolis – the Undead Skulls, stopped in his tracks. He turned around and smirked as he caught sight of them. He immediately left the woman's side and approached them, flanked by his fellow Skull gang members.

Mike felt no fear with these gang members. To him, dealing with these men was just child's play. The Skulls weren't as well known as the Hydras, but anyone who tried to underestimate them, would be sorely mistaken. Even some members of the Shadow Hydras were wary of these men. They were just as dangerous as the Hydras themselves, if not more. The two gangs had had a bitter rivalry in the past, stealing and sabotaging shipments from each other and killing each other's members. The Skulls were especially notorious for murdering anyone who got in their way. Everyone feared them just as much as they feared the Hydras. Not Mike though.

'Well, well, well.' Billy taunted, his lip curling. 'If it isn't the infamous 'Hell Raiser Mike'. Come to race again, are we? I kinda thought maybe you'd have changed you mind once you saw who you were going up against.' He smirked dangerously, his eyes flashing. The skull symbol on his neck stood out sharply. His other tattoos on his chest were visible underneath his leather jacket, which was embossed with a grey and green skull symbol on the back. His curling dirty blond hair was combed off his handsome face, and his blue eyes were regarding him coldly. A toothpick hung from his lips.

'Thought I told you to stay the fuck away from our territory, unless you have a fucking death wish,' Mike snarled, as he stood in a threatening stance in front of him.

'This won't stay Hydra territory for long. And you won't stay leader for too long either. Not unless I show everyone what a pathetic wannabe you are,' Billy sneered, spitting out his toothpick.

'I beat you before Hargrove,' Mike spat. 'I'll damn well do it again. Except this time, you're fucking dead.' By now, a little crowd had gathered. Everyone was curious to see the confrontation between two of the notorious leaders from rival gangs.

Billy chuckled amusedly. Mike clenched his fists as they stared each other down. Behind him, the woman smirked. Mike did everything in his power not to look at her in the face. He was so angry, he was sure he would lose his shit if he even looked at her. She sauntered up to Billy and took him by the arm. 'You don't need to bother with him baby. You're obviously going to win.'

Mike had never been more disgusted in his life. Before he could stop himself, he looked at the woman. She had a sneer on her face and was also giving him a filthy look. He gritted his teeth, and glared back at the woman, who seemed unfazed at his threatening stance. Her usual brown hair was done up in highlights. She was also a little unfocused and seemed to be extremely unbalanced, judging by the way she was hanging onto Billy's arm. Hell, she was wasted too.

The two groups stared each other down, loathing the other's presence.

'See you at the starting line, Mikey.' Billy sneered, turning and walking back into the crowd. His hand draped over the woman's ass as she snuggled into him. Mike wanted to throw up. He ground his teeth in fury.

'All of you stay out of this race for today,' he snarled, addressing his friends without turning around. 'This is between him and I. I'm gonna take down this small-dicked dumb-fuck once and for all.' He turned towards them, glaring darkly. His comrades nodded seriously. They knew better than to argue with their leader. Mike got on his motorcycle and drove to where all the racers were lining up. He was going to show this motherfucker who was boss once and for all.

As the bikers lined up at the starting line, Will couldn't help but glance over at his boss from his place at the stand. Mike was completely focused, breathing heavily and he had a glower around him. His eyes were empty, devoid of emotion. He was always like this, now that he was one of the most important members of the Hydras, but Will couldn't help but remember a time when he wasn't like this. Before corruption and crime got to him. In other words, before his dad got to him.

Will sighed and turned his attention to the other racers. He, Dustin and Lucas knew that this race was important to Mike, but something got him all riled up now. He suspected that his rivalry with Billy was way more than just a long-time rivalry between two gangs, but he knew it was better to stay quiet.

The rest of the racers parked their motorcycles at the starting line just as the announcer yelled into the microphone for the racers to get ready. He then started to excitedly name out all of the competitors. The crowd roared in approval at each name as they anticipated themselves for the race. The crowd screamed even more when Mike was called out, probably more out of fear than anything, but Mike ignored them, staying focused on the track before him. Mike looked over to see that Billy was parked next to him. They eyed each other darkly. The challenge was on.

'RACERS! GET READY!' The announcer roared into the microphone, and immediately started counting down. Mike put on his helmet at the same time Billy does, not breaking his dangerous glare and started his engine, his Suzuki roaring furiously. The vibrations calming him as he braced himself.

'GO!' The announcer yelled, and Mike took off, the wind whipping at his clothes. His concentration was now entirely on the path he was currently taking, his eyes sharply focused. He sped ahead, no longer hearing the roaring of the crowd. Like always when he rides, he felt free and charged with energy.

Doing this – not just the racing, but his motorcycle in general– was the only real way for him to forget how fucked up his life was. And when he raced, for a blissful few minutes he can just lose himself in the motorcycling, only feeling the stamina in him, the adrenaline pumping through his veins and the wind blowing past him.

He gripped the handles tightly and pushed forward. He didn't break concentration, not even when a couple of bikers decide to play dirty and ram into another biker, causing him to lose control and crash abruptly to the ground. A couple others went down as well, but he doesn't let this distract him. There's only one biker he's bent on beating.

Billy races head to head with him, both weaving past the other racers until they're both in the lead. 'C'mon!' Billy roared at him, pushing forward as he raced. Mike simply stared stonily at the track ahead of him, only turning the handles on his bike to go faster. He breathes steadily as he speeds up.

They circled the track three times. Several times Billy attempted cut into Mike's way, trying to sabotage his chances of winning, but he was expecting that, instead using his agility to outmanoeuvre him. Mike grunted as he maintained the fast speed he was going at, as well as skilfully outsmarting his rival's attempts to throw him off the game. He was good, Mike couldn't help thinking. Very good in fact. Except Billy kept wasting his time trying to sabotage Mike's racing. Mike was too smart to play dirty. The thing was, Billy wasn't taught by the best motorcycle racer around. Mike's dad.

As they neared the end of the final lap, they approached a corner. Mike sped up trying to make it seem he was trying to speed past Billy, knowing that he would think Mike was challenging him. As he suspected, Billy whose ego was famously ten times bigger than his brain, sped ahead trying to surpass him. He was going at great speed, too fast in fact. Just before they reached the corner, Mike slowed down a little, just enough to let Billy speed ahead.

It was at that moment that Billy realised what Mike was doing. He braked as he raced around the corner, attempting to slow down but it was too late. His efforts were in vain. He skidded, losing control of the handle and crashed onto the dusty ground. His bike, with the wheels still in motion, skidded a few feet away from him, Mike skilfully avoiding it. He raced past Billy who was lying in a heap on the dirt track, still too focused on finishing the race to triumph. He would have time later. He heard the roaring of the crowd as he sped towards the finish line.

He raced past the finish line, pulling on the brakes as the cheering crowd whooped. He got off his motorcycle and removed his helmet, just as the announcer screamed his name in delight, and runs over to him, excitedly lifting his fist in the air.

'AND TONIGHT'S WINNER, FOR THE SEVENTH TIME IN A ROW, IT IS THE INFAMOUS, THE UNDEFEATABLE, THE INVINCIBLE 'HELL RAISER' MIKE!' He screamed excitedly. The crowd roared in approval. Mike didn't smile, showing no emotion as the cheering continued. His comrades greeted him, grinning and clapping him on the back.

'You fucking crushed him, boss.' Lucas praised. Even now he still couldn't get over Mike's skills as a motorcyclist.

Mike smiled mirthlessly as he glanced over at Billy being helped up by his comrades. He shook them off in obvious fury. Gloating, Mike made his way over to him, flanked by his own men.

'Tough luck, Hargrove,' Mike sneered. 'Maybe better luck next time.'

Billy was fuming, his nostrils flaring. He wasn't seriously injured in any way, his helmet had protected him from that, but he was limping slightly. He was almost growling in fury as he turned to Mike. 'You fucking bastard!', he snarled. He strode towards him, his face full of hate as he swung a fist at him. Fresh rage swelling in him, Mike ducked and immediately grabbed Billy's face. Before Billy had time to react, Mike head-butted him in the face. Hard. A loud crack of a bone breaking sounded through the air as he delivered the blow.

Billy stumbled back, dazed and Mike threw a punch at his face, revelling in the satisfaction of it all, before he delivered another harsh punch to his gut. Billy grunted in pain as he fell to the dusty ground. A little crowd had gathered now, and they watched as the leader of the Undead Skulls got pulverised by one of the leaders of the Hydras.

The bystanders simply stood there as Mike delivered the punches, too afraid to interfere. They didn't want to be on the receiving end of his blows.

'It's over, Billy. What're you gonna do about it, huh?' Mike was jeering at him now, resentment festering inside of him as he smirked down at his rival. It was a good feeling, beating this motherfucker's ass.

Billy lay there, groaning in pain and his face covered in blood. He struggled to get up. 'This isn't over,' he snarled. 'This is far from over. By the time I'm finished with you, you're gonna wish you had never messed with me in the first place. I'm going to destroy you, you bastard.'

'I'd like to see you try,' Mike snarked, glaring at him. He began to walk away, thinking they were finished. Billy smirked as he walked away from him, his mouth bleeding heavily. 'You might think so, Mikey.' He called after him. 'But let me tell you something. You. You are never going to live up to your old man.'

Mike froze, his muscles tensing. He tried to still his rage, breathing heavily.

'Mike. Yo.' Mike didn't turn around as his best friend addressed him. Only Will had the guts to try calm him down. 'Don't listen to that fucker.'

Mike breathed out through his nostrils. Then without a word, he walked back to Billy leaned down towards him, and grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket. 'You're wrong,' he hissed. Billy stared daggers at him, a horrible smirk hanging from the corner of his mouth. Mike just felt repulsed even being near him.

'I think once your fellow Skulls find out how easy it was for me to beat you up, they're gonna question your capabilities as their leader,' Mike told him gleefully. The smile slipped off Billy's face.

'See you around, Hargrove,' Mike sneered. He shoved him roughly to the ground in disgust and walked away, accompanied by his trusty comrades. The crowd parted as they let the Hydra leader and his fellow gang members through. People stared at Billy as he lay there in the dirt.

Billy was full of hate as he glared at the disappearing figures. Mike had made a huge mistake messing with him. He hadn't the faintest idea of the things the leader of the Undead Snakes was capable of. Billy smiled dangerously. Mike had no idea what was coming his way.

As Mike got on his motorcycle, he couldn't help but glance in Billy's direction again. A familiar figure was attempting to help him up.

'Get off me, you hag!' Billy yelled furiously as _she_ tried to check his injuries, before whacking her hard in the face. The woman stumbled back, clutching her face, and crying in pain. Billy stormed away towards his motorcycle and starting kicking at it furiously.

Mike's face held no emotion as he started the engine. Such was the life in the world of gangs. You either win or you lose. Except losing could cost you everything, your life not excluded.

* * *

It was a sunny day in Hawkins, the afternoon sun shining through the trees. Mike leaned against the wall eating from a bag of fries and staying concealed in the shadows. His bike was parked a little way off. He didn't need it today. He had to have a good image. He wasn't even wearing his signature leather jacket, instead opting for a plain one. It was one of those rare days where he woke up looking forward to getting out of the Westside and going to this very place. The spot that he had been coming to every few weeks for the past year.

He watched from a distance as the school bus approached the end of Maple street, parking as it let elementary school kids out.

These meetings were currently one of the only bright spots in his life.

'Hey! Donnie Darko!'

Mike couldn't help but smirk at the nickname. He had grown accustomed to it over the past year. It was one of the things he loved hearing these days. That innocent comparison to a figure in pop culture. That ridiculous, but kind of accurate nickname given to him by the person he had been meeting ever since he had bumped into her.

' _Awesome! A motorbike!'_

 _Mike whipped his head towards the voice, and he froze. It was her. God almighty, it was that kid._

 _He had been distracted by a phone call and didn't see the bus approach. Just fucking great. He had never meant for her to see him, let alone see his motorcycle._

' _Where did you get it,' she asked wide eyed._

 _Mike composed himself a little. She doesn't know who you are, she just thinks you're this random guy on a motorcycle. So, he said. 'Um, my dad gave it to me.'_

' _Really! Wow.'_

 _He cleared his throat a little. To this kid, he was a complete stranger. He had to remember that. He wasn't a creep and he couldn't let anyone think he was._

' _Is your mom around here?' He asked in what was hopefully a responsible tone._

' _Nope. I always walk home from the bus.'_

' _Well then I suggest you should go home, missy.'_

' _No, Donnie Darko!' She rolled her eyes, folding her arms. 'You're not my mom. Besides, I wanna know more about your motorbike! When I grow up, I wanna get a motorbike too.'_

 _Mike blinked in surprise at her feisty attitude. He couldn't help but also feel amused at the randomness of it all. 'That so?'_

 _This was not how he thought his day was going to turn out._

He turned towards the voice, grinning as he caught sight of a familiar figure.

'How's it going kid?' He addressed the third grader as she approached him, doing little skips as she hopped over the cracks in the pavement. Her blonde pigtails were bouncing on her shoulders as she jumped. She was wearing a navy school uniform that marked her as a pupil at St. Theresa's Elementary School, the private Catholic school at the edge of the town, which was a sharp contrast to his black leather jacket, and biker gear. He noticed that she had stains all over her jumper and there was a muddy stain on her skirt. She pulled a face, pouting cutely.

'Boring. My mom is taking me to ballet classes today. I didn't want to go, but there's this recital coming up, so she's making me go anyway. I hate ballet sooo much.'

Mike couldn't help chuckling. 'I'm sure your mom has a good reason for sending you though.'

'She says all little girls should be dainty and graceful,' she complained loudly. 'But that's so not true. I can be a girl, and _not_ be a ballerina. I'd rather be playing football.' She looked around, then frowned up at him. 'Where's your motorbike today?'

Mike sighed. He still hadn't forgiven himself for her accidently seeing his motorcycle. He could punch himself for being so careless about going around with it in Hawkins in broad daylight. 'At home. So, no one can tamper with it or steal it.'

'No one would do that, because you love your bike so much, you would beat up anyone who so much as looked at it.' She said giggling.

Mike felt panic rise in him. 'Why would you think that?'

'Because I know if anyone stole _my_ Barbies, I would make them sorry they were ever born.'

He felt relief flow through him, and he relaxed. 'That so, kid?'

'Can you take me on it sometime? Please!' She begged him, her blue eyes wide.

He chuckled. 'Not so fast, kid. It's illegal okay, and besides it's too dangerous. I don't want you going around riding motorcycles.'

'But you're so cool!'

'No, kid. No, I'm not cool. Far from it actually.' He sighed. 'You wouldn't want my life, kid. At least here, you have a future. You're getting a real education here. You're gonna go on to middle school, then high school and then study at one of those crazy big colleges in New York or something.' He paused. 'Maybe even go to a dance college.'

He smirked at her expression, which was that of complete outrage. 'I would rather go piss myself in front of my whole school, than go to a dance college,' she declared, her voice full of disgust.

'Hey! Language kid. Who taught you to talk like that?'

'Mommy says it sometimes. To Dad mostly. She often says worse.' She said casually, and Mike felt a jolt of anger. She was learning from her mother's bad habits. Honestly, he wasn't one bit surprised.

'Yeah well, she shouldn't, alright? I know if you were my kid, I'd take your toys away for a week if you ever said that in front of me.'

'Well what if you said it first?'

'Then – um –.' He thought for moment. 'I guess I'd have to go to the naughty spot.'

'Naughty spot?' She wrinkled her nose. 'That's not a very good punishment.' She thought hard for a second. ' _I_ would - decide to … take away all your sweets, no TV and no motorbike!'

Mike snorted with laughter. 'Fair enough.' He hesitated for a moment, cautious about his next question. 'And – how is everything at home.'

'Same as ever. Mommy has another headache, so she's staying in bed. She also tripped over the curb while taking out the bins today, so she has a black eye.'

Mike was nodding sympathetically. Inwardly, anger was welling up in his chest. That woman was a fucking liar. But he couldn't say anything in front of her. Hopefully she was still oblivious to what her mother was really up to.

She hopped from one foot to the other. 'My granny's coming this weekend.'

'Awesome. You excited?'

'Yup. She always bakes cookies when she comes over, and they're the best!' She exclaimed. 'She's the best baker ever. But mom hates it when she does it, you know why?'

'No.' Mike shook his head, genuinely curious. This was his only way to get insight into this particular family life.

She looked around as if checking there was no one else listening, then beckoned him forward. He leaned forward, bending down a little so she could whisper to him.

'Because she got fat from her cooking when she was little, and she doesn't want me getting fat either.' She whispered to him in a serious voice.

Mike couldn't help but snicker. 'Well your grandma's cookies must be top-notch if your mom couldn't stop eating them, to the point where she has to stop you from enjoying them.'

'I know. It's so stupid. Mom's stupid.' She whined, sniffing loudly wiping her nose on her sleeve. 'What does your grandma do?' She asked him absentmindedly.

'Oh. I don't know. Never knew her.' Mike breathed out through his nose. 'I guess, she could be – off baking cookies for all I know.'

She giggled. 'Have to go now. Mom doesn't want me late for dinner.' She waved a little and turned to continue on her way.

'Yo, kid.' He called out to her. She turned around. 'Maybe you could bring along one or two of those cookies. They sound pretty good.'

She shrugged. 'Sure, okay. See ya later Donnie Darko.'

He watched her skip off, her pink backpack bouncing off her back as she walked away.

'See you later, Holly.' He said quietly.

* * *

There was nothing Mike loved more than being on his motorcycle. The rush, the thrill of it all. His motorcycle meant everything to him. As he raced down the forested road, he felt exhilaration and a sort of satisfaction as he raced past several cars.

He heard Dustin's familiar whooping behind him, as he drove with him. The least mature out of the four of them, he always acted like everything was a game to him. He often treated life and death situations like jokes. Mike would often use Dustin as a sort of escape from the gang life. But very few things actually humoured him these days.

They stopped outside a diner called Benny's just at the edge of Hawkins, parking their motorcycles at the edge of the car park. It was usually quite busy in the evenings, but in the afternoons, it was mostly empty. Like now.

'Man, I am starving.' Dustin groaned. 'I swear, I could eat a whole crate of chips.'

Mike simply grunted as they got off their motorcycles and made their way to the diner. Just then, he noticed two other people approach the diner from the other direction. Their backs were turned towards them. But Mike would know that figure anywhere.

He squinted, trying to get a better look. Sure enough, it was her, walking into Benny's with that red headed friend of hers. She was still wearing that beanie, it seemed. He smirked at that.

As he watched her, he couldn't help but think back to when he had asked for information about her, just after he had first met her. It had slipped from his mind, but as he gazed at her, he couldn't help thinking that although she was from a well-off family, she always seemed to dress so – plainly. Maybe it was her sense of style, she said so herself at their last encounter. But there was something niggling at the back of his mind, as if there was something quite not right about this whole situation. He remembered his talk with the Hydra police informant, and as he recalled that man's words, he felt a stab of anger. He could have kicked himself for letting himself forget about it so easily.

' _What do you need me for, boss?'_

 _They were standing at the edge of a small street in the Westside, huddled in the shadows where no one could see them. The light of day was draining away, giving away to the velvety dark of night. The only nearby source of light was a dim street lamp._

 _Mike was silent. He studied his local police informant, someone who was loyal to him and most definitely on his side, but not someone he could trust. Mike considered his words carefully._

' _I need you tell me everything you know about the chief's family.' He told his informer, taking a drag from his cigarette. Inhaling the smoke slowly and letting it flow through his lungs, instantly relaxing him._

 _Officer Calvin Powell raised his eyebrows. 'You planning on threatening his family, or somethin'?'_

 _Mike glared at him. 'What I do, and why I do it, is none of your business, Powell. Remember,_ _ **you**_ _work for me. I ask, and you give me information. Not the other way around.'_

 _Powell nodded reluctantly, a hint of fear in his eyes. Mike was silent for a moment, penetrating him with his dark stare, before offering him the packet. Powell hesitated before taking it. He lit up a cigarette, balancing it on his mouth as he spoke._

' _He has a wife. Diane's her name. She's from this well-off, respected family in New York, and I hear she won several beauty pageants back in her day. Not very surprising though, she's definitely a looker.' He chuckled. 'She works as a politician. Ran for mayor once or twice if I recall correctly. Is currently on the town council. She's very involved in town affairs.' Mike folded his arms, waiting for him to continue._

' _She's pretty important here in Hawkins, very respected around here. She volunteers, is on every council and local organisation you can think of, does campaigns and all that shit. Pretty fake if you ask me. I just think she's trying too hard. He also has a daughter, who is the spitting image of her mother, judging from his photo of her in his office.'_

 _Mike's ears pricked up at this. 'What's her name? His kid?'_

' _What was it – it was – um – Sara. Yeah that was it. She's about twelve I think.'_

 _Mike narrowed his eyes in confusion. 'One daughter did you say?'_

' _Yeah. Oh wait – no yeah there's that other kid. About uh – yeah, she must be coming on about seventeen now. What was it again? Jill? Janice? No - Jane. Yeah that's it. Almost forgot about her.' He nodded, taking a long drag. 'Yeah it's funny.'_

' _What is?' Mike asked, his curiosity peaked._

' _Well-,' he began. 'I mean - the chief never talks about her. He good as acts like she doesn't exist. We only ever hear about Sara. Sara did this today, Sara's gonna do that next week, so proud of my kid Sara and so forth. He's got a framed photo in his office of his family, but that Jane kid ain't in it.'_

 _Powell took another drag, smoke billowing out from his mouth. 'And as for the wife? Well, I mean – that's a different story altogether.'_

' _What do you mean?' Mike questioned him._

' _Well see, Jane isn't Diane's kid. Naah, she was this other woman's kid, who apparently hooked up with the chief before he met Diane. I think she passed away or something. But Diane – I mean, she does not like that girl. I heard people say she calls her 'bastard girl' or somethin'? Yeah, she kinda hates her, I guess.'_

 _Mike was shocked, but he didn't let it show. The fact that this girl probably wasn't so different from him after all was quite surprising. He thought back to when he first saw her. She was like a deer in the headlights: scared, alone, wide-eyed, and in some kind of a trance. She looked – lost. And Mike wasn't talking about the physical tense. It seemed like the princess didn't have a perfect life like he had assumed after all._

Mike shook himself out of the flashback and watched as the girls approached the diner. Just then, _she_ stopped, said something to her friend, then began to walk around the building towards the toilets around the back, while her friend went inside.

'You go ahead.' He said to Dustin. 'I just have to check something.' Dustin nodded, and made his way to the diner. He didn't need to know about Mike's personal business.

Before Mike could make any split-second decisions, his sharp eyes caught sight of a small group of teenage boys approaching the diner. There were around five of them and they were all wearing blue and yellow jackets, clearly marking them as the Hawkins High football players. Mike stiffened when he noticed that they had stopped and were observing El as she walked around the back of the building. Their expressions dark and gleeful as they began to follow her.

Mike's eyes narrowed in anger as he understood their motivations. He clenched his fists, his jaw rooted as burning rage hissed through his body. 'Not on my watch,' he muttered angrily through gritted teeth, as he watched the jocks prepare to corner their unsuspecting classmate. He quickly strode towards the group, reaching them before they got to the toilets at the back of the building,

'What the hell do you think you're doing, shitfaces?' He called out to them threateningly. The boys turned and started at his sudden appearance, as well as his obviously threatening stance. They looked at each other nervously, but they stood their ground.

'What's it to you?' One of them sneered. He was the most well-built out of all them, and the most good-looking, his brown hair gelled back in a ridiculously laughable hair-cut that seemed to be all the rage among high school jocks. He was obviously the leader.

'I'd advise you to walk away now and leave that girl the fuck alone.' He told them menacingly.

'This is none of your business.' The leader jock sneered. 'What do you think _you're_ doing, here in our territory. Go back to the dumpster, scum.' They all chortled with laughter as they ganged up behind their leader.

Instead of getting angry, Mike simply raised his eyebrows, unimpressed. He glared coldly at them. 'If you fuckbrains had any sense, you'd know when to keep your mouths shut. So, I'd advise you walk away now slowly, before you fucking regret it.' And to prove his point, he slowly opened up the right side of his jacket, exposing the gun hanging at his waist.

Their eyes widened and they all took a step back in alarm, but the leader simply stepped forward, buffing out his chest in a way, that made Mike want to burst out laughing.

'Like, hell we're scared of you.' He scoffed. 'What the fuck are you gonna do, shoot us?'

'What makes you think I won't.' Mike said slowly, penetrating them all with his dark stare. 'I don't have to kill you now.' He pondered out loud. 'Naaah, that would be too messy. And easy. I - prefer a challenge.'

His lip curled, as he walked up to them, enjoying the looks of fear on their faces. They were all smaller than him, so he towered over them in a very satisfactory way. 'But I can easily find out where you live. And, find a way to make your deaths look like suicide.' He sneered. 'No one would miss you. You're just a bunch of dickless cowards, who love going after helpless girls. Pathetic little fuckers.'

By now, they were all backing away, their expressions full of terror. Even the leader looked a bit pale. He knew they were scared to death of him. And he revelled in it.

'If I were you,' he strode towards him slowly, speaking in a dangerously low voice, 'I'd run the fuck away right now, before you do something I'm sure you'll regret.'

'Oh yeah?' The leader stepped forward, his lip curling as he scoffed at him. 'I'd like to see you try, scum!' He balled his fists, squaring his shoulders as he braced himself for a fight.

'Come on, Troy, let's go!' One of the jocks called out to Troy. He ignored him, marching up to Mike with a dark expression. 'I'm gonna show you what happens when one of you white scum mess with us!', he snarled. He lunged, throwing his fist towards Mike's face.

Mike almost laughed at the pathetic, and clumsy attempt. It looked like he was going to have some entertainment this afternoon. He simply stepped out of range, before hurling his fist into Troy's face. He yelled out as he stumbled back, dazed and clutching the side of his face, before Mike delivered another blow to his gut. Troy was knocked to the ground, clutching his stomach. Fury twisting inside of him at the thought of what this motherfucker was going to do to _her_ , Mike grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket, and slammed him hard against the wall, proceeding to pummel him. Burying punches in him, over, and over again.

He could sense the others backing away as Mike furiously slammed his fist again and again into Troy's face. Blood was dripping from his mouth and nose. He groaned in pain repeatedly as Mike landed solid punches to his gut.

Mike stopped delivering punches, as reality caught up to him. As much as he wanted to beat this pathetic piece of shit to a pulp, he had to remember that he couldn't get away with this sort of thing every time, especially when these were most definitely a bunch of rich kids. He gripped him by the lapels, bringing his face up close to his.

'If you _ever_ , go near her, ever again – I will fucking end you,' he snarled, penetrating him with a menacing glare. Troy opened his mouth, but only a groan of pain came out. Mike threw him roughly against the tarmac. He kicked him in the gut again for good measure. 'Get the fuck out of my sight, you fucktard.' His voice was full of disgust.

A gasp sounded from behind him, followed by, 'What the fuck is going on here!'

Mike turned his head to look at the person who had appeared behind him and had witnessed the last few seconds of this confrontation.

El stood there, her eyes wide and her hand covering her mouth in shock as she took in what she was seeing.

'This isn't over.' Mike heard Troy splutter, and Mike gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to pummel this shitface to a pulp, reminding himself that _she_ was here now.

'Get out of my sight.' Mike hissed in a dangerous voice, not taking his eyes off El. She stared up at him, her chocolate brown eyes holding a mixture of alarm and fear. She swallowed as their gazes locked together, unable to look away. She flicked her eyes over him.

Eventually she sighed. 'Why in the name of Jesus do I keep running into you?'

'Believe me darling, I wish I knew,' he answered. He cocked his head at her, gazing into her brown eyes. She didn't look away.

'Did those assholes try to corner you before?' He questioned her. She stayed silent. He swore out loud. 'Did you tell anyone?'

She snorted. 'They're the poster boys of my school. No one would believe me.'

He stared at her in shock. 'But your dad's the police chief.' Surely that would ensure her safety.

She just shrugged. 'You're being naiive. When you're a football player in that school, there's nothing you can do wrong. My father is like best friends with their parents. The whole town loves them. Besides. I can handle myself. Those thick heads still can't grapple the fact that staying away from me should be at the very top of their lists.'

He raised his eyebrows. 'What? Are you saying that you can scare them off or something?'

Her face was cool with resolve. 'I mean to say that after their last encounter with me, those pricks are lucky that they can still even play football.'

He stared at her in surprise and smirked in amusement. 'Well, shit. That would have been something to watch. Hell, I still have bruises on my foot from the other day. I'm sure you had a field day with those guys.'

She scowled at him. 'Was that a compliment, or are you just messing around with me, Mike?'

'I think you should figure that out for yourself, El,' he answered her quietly.

He moved away from her then, smiling slightly at the look on her face as she stared up at him, completely taken aback. He backed away from her, holding eye contact with her. She didn't dare look away. Giving her one last wide smirk, he quickly turned on his heel and walked away.

As he approached his motorcycle, he heard a shout coming from the diner. Dustin was rushing towards him at the speed of the wind, a wide, panicked look on his face.

'Mike, Mike!' Usually Mike would have snapped at him for using his first name, but something was wrong this time. Dustin was panting heavily, he was all jittery and there was a look of anxiety about him.

'Christ, something just happened Mike. Lucas just called me. Fuck, it's bad, it's really bad! Those cops finally got us!'

'What! What the fuck are you talking about man? Pull yourself together!' Mike seethed. Just then, his cell started ringing. Seeing that it was Will, he answered.

'Mike! Fuck, oh god, Mike, you gotta get down here!'

This time Mike stopped, his muscles tensing. There was something about the way Will sounded. Hysterical and panic-stricken. He hadn't sounded like that since – well, since _that_ time. Mike knew then, that whatever it was, it was bad. Really bad.

'Will? Will what, the hell is going on? What happened?' He demanded.

When Will told him, practically yelling as he explained in a rush what had happened, Mike felt emotionless. He didn't know what to think or how to react. And as always, he slowly felt his anger build up inside of him. Pure rage pounded in him like a drumbeat and he was immobilised with fury.

'I'll be there.' He told Will, barely containing the rage he was feeling. 'Just hang on bro, all right? We're on our way.'

Only one dark thought rang through his head as the two of them raced at top speed back towards the Westside. He ground his teeth in pure, raw fury as he hissed the words out loud, his dangerous threat made loud and clear.

' _I'm going to fucking end Jim Hopper!'_


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi guys,**

 **Thank you again for all your lovely comments! I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to be away for the next couple of weeks. I'll update as soon as possible when I get back.**

 **But for now, here's a new chapter. Things are about to get heated ;)**

* * *

El winced as she brushed her hair, the aching throb returning. _Fuck it,_ she thought. The bald patch at the back of her head still hadn't properly healed. Who knew how long she was going to have to cover it up before hair started growing there again. She abandoned the hair, throwing her brush on the bed and rubbed her eyes, yawning.

She had managed to make her hair look a little bit more – well, presentable for today, just about managing before accidently grazing that healing part of her scalp. She ran her hand through it and grabbed her homework from the tiny desk in her room. She bit her lip when she saw that it wasn't completed. She would have to try get it done before school started, and maybe during lunch time. How could she have completed it though? She hadn't been able to concentrate properly in two days. Ever since _he -_ had beat up Troy Harrington outside Benny's. She had to admit that seeing him again, had sent her heart beating at a seriously fast rate, and had made her feel warm all over. Now, she couldn't stop thinking about him.

He had protected her – from _them._ She remembered how he had touched her ass – invading her personal space in a such a sultry way that sent shivers down her spine. This whole thing had scared her. But it also aroused her. He affected her in a way that had kept her up all night, tossing and turning as she tried to get the image of him out of her mind.

 _What the hell is this man doing to me_ , she couldn't help thinking.

Of course, he couldn't be there to protect her always. She wasn't expecting him to do that. It was just pure luck that he managed to find her that afternoon. Troy and his goons had been trying to corner her that day, like what they had been trying to do for days now. The library was now officially out of bounds for her. With the help of Max, she had managed to successfully avoid them for the past couple of weeks. They had come so close to cornering her again that day. El wanted to kick herself for being so stupid. She should have gotten Max to come with her. She would have to be more careful in the future.

As El went up to the kitchen to do her morning chores, she couldn't help thinking about what _they_ had been planning to do with her. What they were currently planning on doing to her. They had already seen – _that._ Were they going to report her? Blackmail her maybe? El didn't want to think about it.

She was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't see the figure hiding around the corner, didn't hear the quiet footsteps come up behind her.

El gasped in pain as she felt a hard, crushing pain streak against her back. She stumbled forward, the force knocking her to the floor, before feeling another harsh blow delivered to her spine and another one. Pain ripped through her and the air was harshly expelled from her lungs. She groaned, trying to move away from her as best as she could.

'I regret taking you in, every single day. Nothing about you is important, nothing you do will amount to anything. You're not worth _anything_ , you little whore.' She hissed menacingly. El grunted as she felt another painful blow, before she threw the object she was beating her with at her harshly.

'Get up, you lazy cow, and finish your chores. Just looking at you makes me sick.' El heard her heels clack against the tiled floor as she walked away.

El took in several gulps of air. Her back was throbbing with pain, and as she sat up she noticed the metal mop lying there beside her. She felt her anger boil up, and she took several deep breaths, both trying to calm herself down and numb the pain.

El got up slowly, her back feeling like it was on fire. _You've had worse,_ she kept telling herself. _It's definitely been worse than this._ She pressed her lips together, refusing to give in to the pain.

She couldn't miss school today. She had never missed a day of school in her life. _She_ had made sure of that. She would just have to deal with it, and hopefully get through it. El gritted her teeth hard as she pulled herself up, finally continuing her way to the kitchen. Hobbling as she did so. Doing her chores and setting out breakfast now felt like labouring as she limped around and tried not to bend over. She pushed away the discomfort, doing her best to block out the pain.

Jim came in, as she swept the floor, not looking in her direction, simply grabbing his coffee and downing it in about five seconds. He quickly left the kitchen. 'I'm off, Diane,' he called out. 'There's an issue at the police station that I need to take care of.'

'Okay, sweetie.' Diane answered from upstairs in a sickly-sweet voice. 'Good luck! I'm making my special lasagne today, just the three of us, so be sure to come home at eight, like you promised.'

'I will. Love you honey!' He called out before closing the front door behind him.

El grimaced, hobbling as she completed her chores, finishing them as well as she could before _she_ came down again. Sadly, her prayers were not answered.

Diane entered the kitchen just as she was going to put the broom away. 'You're not having dinner with us this evening. You can do without it for today. You can go to the library and study. Be back before half nine, or there will be trouble, you ungrateful little bastard.'

El swallowed. 'Okay. I'll be back before ten.'

She narrowed her eyes at her. 'You're a fucking embarrassment to this whole family. Leave now, so I don't have to look at you anymore.'

El hurriedly did as she was told, putting the broom away and grabbing her school bag before leaving the house.

As El walked along her street, she couldn't help but take a look around at the other houses. They were all just as fancy and modern as the one she was currently living in. Everyone on this street were totally oblivious to what was happening in that house. No one suspected anything. That meant she was probably just as oblivious to other things that were probably happening in these houses. There were probably all kinds of abuse going on behind those doors. It meant that maybe, just maybe – she wasn't alone in her suffering.

Huge, perfect houses held dark and sinister secrets. That was for sure.

* * *

Max greeted her as she entered the school building. 'Well hey there homey,' she said brightly. 'Man, I am just so ready to flunk Mr Cartwright's chemistry class. His teachings are just impossible, his writing is about as readable as a kindergartner's, I swear.' She was in a cheery demeanour, and El, not wanting her to suspect anything, did her best to smile back. Max was always a welcoming presence, and El was grateful to have met her.

Max looked at her and her smile immediately faded once she looked at her properly. 'Wait a second – are you okay?'

'Me? Yeah, I'm fine.' El assured her. She grinned at her, trying to block out the sharp painfulness of her body.

Max looked at her doubtfully. 'You don't look fine. You're not – limping, are you?'

'No.' This was the first time anyone had remotely noticed her injuries, and it made El panic a bit. 'No, um – see, I slipped on the wet floor. Landed on my back. It's nothing.' She shrugged, making it seem like no big deal.

'Well, do you want me to look it. See if you got any bruising? Or better yet, shouldn't you go to a doctor. Get it checked up?'

'No, I don't need to.' El said hurriedly. Jesus, this girl wasn't kidding. She really does pay excellent attention to everything. 'Like, I'm fine, no worries Max. It doesn't even hurt that much.'

Max sighed and grabbed her by the arm, making her stop in the middle of the crowded hallway. 'You're sure you're okay. Because if you're not, please tell me. Tell me right now.' She told her seriously, her eyes full of worry.

El swallowed slightly, before looking at her straight in the eye. Looking up so she could do that, because it seemed _everyone_ was taller than her. She hated lying to her new friend, and she hated like a horrible person doing it. But she knew she didn't have a choice. 'Everything's fine Max. I _promise_. No need to make a fuss.'

Max studied her for a moment, as if checking for any sign that she was lying. She gave her a small smile. 'Okay. I believe you.'

El smiled at her, but inside she felt awful. This girl had been nothing, but kind and accepting of her, and she repays her by being dishonest with her. But Max could never know. _No one_ \- should ever know. If anyone ever found out – who knows what sort of wrath Diane would have in store for her. As much as El wanted to be honest with her new friend, she had no choice.

Just as they were about to continue on their way, Max stopped abruptly in her tracks. El tugged her arm. 'What's wrong?' She questioned her. Max simply shook her head, and pointed down the corridor, her eyes wide. El looked at where she was pointing, and she froze.

Troy had been absent for the past couple of days, no doubt recovering from his encounter. But man, El had to admit that he looked pretty messed up. He was on his own, his face covered in cuts and bruises as he scowled straight ahead of him. He caught sight of El, and his scowl darkened.

'Shit, he's coming towards us,' Max hissed, grabbing her by the arm and attempted to steer her away. But they were stopped, when El felt a meaty hand grab her shoulder. She felt him hiss in her ear menacingly.

'That white trash boyfriend of yours, won't be able to protect you for long. We're far from done, you and me. Got that?' El tried to shake him off, but he simply tightened his grip on her.

'Let her go, Troy.' Max seethed furiously, her eyes blazing. 'Go pick on someone your own size.'

Troy chuckled darkly. 'Fuck off, carrot-head. No one wants you here. You're nothing but a Westside junkie who hangs out with the freak here.'

And all of a sudden, El had had enough. Her home-life was pure hell, and every day for her was just another day of suffering. She was just so sick and tired of everyone trying to hurt her, this asshole included. She felt anger flow rapidly through her veins, and she saw red. She was just so angry at everyone and everything. Angry, because this world had never done anything for her. She had lived a hellish life, and things were unlikely to get any better. Before she could stop herself, she forced herself out of Troy's grip, whirled around and punched him in the face.

'Oooh.' Everyone who was watching reacted in shock and glee. A crowd gathered around them as passing students stopped to watch this confrontation. El breathed heavily as people gaped at her. She was a little shocked by her actions, and she knew it wasn't the wisest choice she ever made. But it still felt so good. Troy stumbled back, dazed. He stared at her in astonishment, shocked that she had dared show him up in front of the whole school.

'You,' El seethed, glaring at him with her fists clenched. 'You leave me alone Troy, you got that?'

'Bitch!' Troy snarled, his eyes flashing dangerously. 'You're gonna fucking regret that.'

El walked up to him, staring at him with hatred. 'You listen to me, you piece of shit. If you ever touch me, or go near me again, I think the consequences will be much, _much_ worse than last time.' She hissed, so no one, but him could really hear her. 'And I think you know exactly what I'm talking about.'

For the first time, Troy looked a bit wary of her. He moved backwards, away from her. 'This isn't over, Hopper.' He told her threateningly.

El laughed mirthlessly. 'I think it is Troy. I think it is.'

She turned and walked away, Max hurrying to follow her. The crowd parted to let them past. She ignored the looks of awe that were sent her way.

'H-ho-holy – holy SHIT!' Max exclaimed. 'That – that was incredible El! I didn't know you had it in you to do that.'

'Neither did I.' El said slowly. She was unable to fully grasp what she had just done back there. It was all a blur, as if it had happened in a dream and not in real life. El looked at her fist. It was throbbing a bit, but that was only to be expected. For the first time ever, El came away from an encounter with Troy feeling – empowered.

El smiled when she realised something else. She had completely forgotten about her physical pain during her confrontation with Troy. It had momentarily disappeared.

* * *

'So.' Max began as she sat beside her on the bathroom sink. 'I have request to make.'

El looked at her curiously. 'Go ahead.'

They were hanging out in the bathroom as usual for their lunchbreak. Max had actually been in there since second period, as in her own words, ' _No point in turning up to class, if I'm not actually going to learn anything,'_ which was a very honest description of some of the teachers they had. El had joined her for lunch and was now trying to complete her homework. She couldn't afford to hand in uncompleted homework.

She bit her lip. 'Okay, so. I'm going to this event in the Westside to meet up with some friends of mine, plus my boyfriend, and – ', she paused. 'You see, us two? We haven't really hung out apart from being in school, and after school, because I know your family is really strict and overprotective and I _get that_ , like believe me I wish my own family paid this much attention to me, so you see I was _wondering,_ if maybe – just maybe - you could come?'

El stopped writing her biology assignment, to stare at her. 'You want me to go to the Westside with you? This evening?'

'Yep.' She was looking at her pleadingly. 'Please, you can like, tell your dad and step-mom you're going to the library, or something. I really want you to come.'

El was speechless. Here was Max proposing a chance for them to hang out somewhere that didn't have anything to do with school – but it was in the Westside. _The fucking Westside._ Where he was…

'I – I don't know, Max,' El stammered. 'If my family ever found out – I don't know, it's too risky.'

'Oh, _please!_ It's only for a bit of fun. Don't worry, your family won't find out. We'll be careful, I promise. And you don't need to dress up or anything, you can just go casual, so no worries there either. I can drive us, and you don't even have to stay long, I just want you to meet some people that I know. My boyfriend too. I've told him all about you, and he's dying to meet you! Well I mean, he's mostly happy that I've made a friend who is actually a good influence on me, you know.'

El gulped at the thought of meeting a drug dealer. She didn't want to deal with any more dangerous Westsiders if possible.

'Max, my dad is the police _chief._ If he finds me-. '

'He _won't._ The police can't get to this particular place anyways, it's like backed by all these mobsters or something.'

'Mobsters?' El's voice rose anxiously.

'Yeah, I- oh okay, you know what? Forget I said that.' Max sighed exasperatedly. 'Look the point is that you can't live your life, constantly afraid of what your parents are going to say or what the consequences are. You need to live a little, El! That's why I'm here.' She grabbed her hand, giving her the puppy eyes. 'So, please, please, please at least come for like, half an hour. Less if you want – like you can go home at any time, I swear! Just please El Hopper – come with me tonight.'

El was in a dilemma. On one hand, there was that small chance that she could get away with this. If she stayed for half an hour or less, met Max's friends, then got Max to drive her home – of course parking at the end of her street where Diane wouldn't see anything – she _might_ get away with this. She was genuinely curious to meet Max's friends and wanted to get a bigger glimpse into her world. As much as the Westside scared her, she was also genuinely curious about the area that she was explicitly told by her father was off bounds for her. Not that her dad actually gave a shit about anything that involved El.

And besides, the thought of being rebellious for one night excited and terrified her all at the same time. And they were going to the Westside. Which meant there was a chance that she might see _him_ again.

She didn't know why there was a small, curious part of her that wanted to see him again. He was just the worst possible person she could get involved with. Then again, he was already sort of involved in her life now. He saved her that other day. She had no idea why she had such strong feelings for this person, especially because he was such bad news. Logic was telling her to stay away. Logic almost always won. But her instincts were telling her to go for it.

He kept finding her in random situations. Maybe it was her turn to find him.

On the other hand, there was the greater chance of the evening going horribly wrong. It was a huge gamble for her. If Diane and Jim ever found out, or if she got caught…

'El?' Max sounded anxious. She looked over at her. Max was right. She couldn't spend her whole life constantly afraid. She was sick of being afraid. She wanted to live for one night.

'I'll go,' El blurted out before she could stop herself.

'YES!' Max yelled with excitement, throwing her arms around her, and giving her a bear hug. El had to bite her lip hard, to stop herself from hissing in pain, as her hug put pressure on her aching back.

'Okay, okay calm down you're squeezing me,' El told her light-heartedly, trying to ignore the pain. And trying not to sound like she was in any kind of pain either.

'Oh, damn yeah. You fell.' Max released her, sounding embarrassed. 'Sorry.'

'No worries,' El grinned at her. Hopefully, she was going to be okay for tonight. Yeah her back hurt like hell, but she had learned how to cope with the pain a long time ago. The sooner she got back to the house before curfew, the better.

'You're not going to regret this, I swear!' Max told her seriously. 'Right so just call your family and tell them – oh wait, shit yeah.' Max's face fell, biting her lip. El looked away, slightly embarrassed.

El was probably the only teenager in the USA who didn't have her own cell phone. It wasn't something that she'd like people to know about. She had told Max that embarrassing fact with a blush rising to her face, scared of her reaction. But Max had simply said bluntly, ' _Well good thing you don't have to worry about any stalkers'._ If only she knew.

She didn't need one before she met Max. She never had any friends before, no one to contact or anything, so there wasn't any point in having one anyway. She also knew that she wasn't allowed to have one. Diane had made that abundantly clear, that they were never going to spend any money on things like that for her. She was only allowed to withdraw a certain amount of money once a year to go shop for vitals, such as bras, underwear, new clothes and shoes.

'It's okay.' She told Max. 'They – they have plans this evening so – they told me to go get something to eat and go to the library.' El wasn't lying. They did have plans this evening, she was just never told to get something to eat.

'Oh! Great!' Max rubbed her hands together, smiling excitedly. 'Right, so I can drive us to my place after school and we can get ready and-.'

'Hold on.' El interrupted her. 'I never said I wasn't going to the library. My step-mom might ring up and check that I turned up, remember?'

'Oh right. Okay. I'll pick you up at say – quarter past eight. Library closes at nine. So, you stay for half an hour, an hour if I persuade you to, and then I drive you home before your curfew. That okay?' El nodded. Max shook her head. 'Jeez, did I mention your step-mom is _so_ intense! Doesn't sound like she can catch a break. How do you stand her?'

Intense was not a word El would use to describe Diane.

El cleared her throat. 'So where is it we're going anyways?' El asked quickly, changing the subject. She did not want to talk about Diane now.

Max smirked. 'Have you ever heard of the notorious Westside racing track?'

* * *

 _I can't believe I'm doing this,_ El thought as she paced the footpath outside the library. She felt like throwing up, and although she had already gone to the toilet, she suddenly felt like going again. She had never been more nervous in her life. She had never disobeyed Diane before. The thought of going against Diane's orders and sneaking off to a racing track in the Westside of all places sent feeling of terror through her.

 _This was a mistake_ , she thought. A really, really bad mistake. What the hell was she thinking? Just then, she heard a car beeping and El turned to see Max pull up in her old blue Ford car, rock music blasting from the speakers. She unrolled the window, and El could see that she was now wearing large sunglasses.

'Hey! _Get in_ , we're already running late as it is.' Max chastised her. El looked around nervously, afraid that someone was going to see. Luckily the street was mostly deserted.

'Don't you think you could be a bit quieter, Max? Like, I'm _trying_ to keep a low profile here, remember?'

'Sorry! Just excited that we're finally gonna hang out.' Max grinned.

El rolled her eyes and reluctantly opened the door to the passenger seat, getting in. Max was smiling mischievously as her, wiggling her eyebrows.

'Why the frown, El? You're going to have a great time, trust me!'

'Max, I've never been out before, nor have I been in a crowd before! I–I–just-I'm fucking terrified!

'El, girl I understand that you're nervous, but its fine.' Max made her face her, rubbing her arm reassuringly. 'Yes, there's going to be a huge crowd there, but it's not the actual, official races happening tonight. It's just trial ones, so there's not going to be that many people as usual. So just stick with me, relax, and have a bit of fun. You're going to have a great time, okay?'

As they drove off, El wrung her hands, only hoping that what she was saying was true.

* * *

The Westside racing track was unlike anything El had ever seen before. She suddenly understood why her dad had wanted to stay away from these kinds of things. El began to wonder if coming was such a good idea after all. As Max drove into the parking lot, El couldn't stop staring, with her mouth gaping wide open. Max had said that there weren't as many people as usual here. El found that very hard to believe. It was absolutely massive! Everywhere she looked there were motorcyclists driving past.

'Different isn't it,' Max remarked, looking over at her.

El could only nod. She suddenly found herself dreading the evening as she looked at her surroundings anxiously.

As they walked towards the racing track, the crowd got thicker. The noise was unbelievable, El could barely hear her own breathing. She had never been to a place with huge crowds, let alone actually gone out. There had to be about a thousand people here. People were mostly dressed in biker gear, and many girls were heavily made up and were barely wearing anything at all. Most people here had tattoos, or piercings. As Max was dressed in similar clothing to her, El didn't feel that out of place. But she still felt like a complete outsider, like always.

Everywhere she looked, people were snorting or injecting substances into themselves, drinking heavily, making out (some were doing a lot more than that, making El blush heavily as she hurriedly looked away) or fighting. Every five minutes, she seemed to pass yet another fist fight between drunk or high individuals.

Eventually they managed to reach bars overlooking the racing track, which was an oval shaped dirt track that spanned about one mile. El was overcome with fascination. This place was beyond any of her expectations. It was completely overwhelming.

She suddenly heard Max exclaim behind her, 'You guys! You made it!' El turned to see Max excitedly embracing a boy and a girl a little older than them, that had approached her, and who were hugging her back just as enthusiastically.

'What's up, Maxie?' The boy grinned. His hair was dyed a shade of green and he had a couple of eyebrow piercings.

'Oh, nothing much. Fucking school, you know? Hey, you guys I want you to meet someone! This here, is Jane, my new friend from school, but she likes to be called El. El these are the people I've known since the first grade, Logan and Shelby.'

'Hi El,' Logan grinned, shaking her hand. 'Pleased to meet you.'

'You too.' El smiled back, but her stomach shifted uneasily. She wasn't used to meeting new people, and she was so afraid that she was going to mess up somehow, that she's going to say something, or do something wrong.

'Hi El,' Shelby greeted her. Her dark, coffee coloured eyes matched her skin colour, and her long waist length black hair was dip dyed pink and done up in braids. She had several piercings along one ear. She was rolling her eyes in Max's direction. 'I'm so sorry, that the only way we could meet you was through _her,_ here. She's pretty crazy that one, even when compared to me,' she joked.

'Hey! That's not a fair comparison.' Max protested. She looked around. 'Now that you're here, have you seen my man yet?'

'Yeah, he's down by the motorcycles,' Logan pointed backwards with his thumb. Max suddenly looked angry. 'Is he taking anything? Was he taking anything when you saw him?'

'Um,' Logan looked at Shelby nervously. 'I - couldn't see from where I was standing.'

'Oh. No. I swear to god, if that prick is taking any shit, I'm going to kill him. Be right back El.' Max was fuming, her eyes flashing angrily, and moved away towards the pointed direction quickly. Shelby looked at her apologetically. 'Intense, isn't she? Wouldn't want to be a witness to her wrath if he _is_ taking stuff.'

El shrugged. 'I don't mind her.' She then frowned. 'It's probably none of my business, but somehow – I feel like she has a personal vendetta against hard drugs. Did something happen in the past?'

Max's friends looked at each other nervously, clearly reluctant to say anything.

Before they could say anything however, a loud speaker sounded, announcing that the race was starting in five minutes. El looked towards the track noticing how they were putting up ramps. She watched, fascinated, when all of a sudden, someone bumped hard into her. 'Hey!' Someone exclaimed. 'Watch where you're going!'

El turned to see a tall girl of about eighteen or nineteen with long cascading blonde hair dip-dyed blue, a heart shaped face and cold blue-green eyes, giving her a filthy look. She was wearing a black mini dress and matching black high heeled boots, making her even taller. She reminded her of Stacy, except this girl seemed even scarier. She had her hand on her hip as she glared at her.

'Well!' She demanded. 'Aren't you going to apologise!'

'Fuck off Jennifer.' Logan came up behind El, scowling. 'She doesn't have to apologise for anything. You're the one who bumped into her.'

'Yeah, so maybe you should watch where _you're_ going in the future.' Shelby remarked snidely. Jennifer glared at them. 'Oh, shut up. She got in my way. What's a kid like you doing here anyway?' She said to El. She looked her up and down, raising her eyebrows. 'Are you going to a funeral or something, beanie girl?'

Feeling brave, El looked up at her and simply raised her eyebrows. 'What I wear is none of your business.'

She sneered. 'This place isn't for losers. Go crawl back to the dirt hole where you came from.'

'Doesn't that honour belong to you?' El remarked before she could stop herself.

Jennifer turned white with fury, while Logan laughed out loud, and Shelby whistled.

'What the hell did you just say to me?' She suddenly shoved her roughly, and El stumbled back. She hit her back against the metal barrier overlooking the track. El winced as her sore back was hit with another wave of pain.

Her two companions shouted at Jennifer, but she ignored them as she brought her face up close to hers. 'You don't get to stay things like that to me. So, I'd advise you to take that back right now.'

El scoffed. She had dealt with many mean girls in her lifetime, and this one was no exception.

'Make me.' She challenged.

Before Jennifer could say anything, the loudspeaker sounded again, announcing that the racers should make their way to the starting line. Jennifer perked up, looking down at the group of bikers starting to line up.

'I don't have time for this right now. Dealing with teenage bitches like you gives me a headache.' She said snottily and moved away from El. 'I happen to be needed right now. In case you don't know I'm tonight's flag girl.' She smirked at them before sashaying away.

'Jesus, I hate her. She's a nightmare.' Shelby complained. 'I am so sorry about that.'

El shrugged. 'I'm used to dealing with whiney cows like her.'

They turned their attention to the race. There were around ten or so bikers. She remembered Max telling her that at the official races, there were around twenty bikers, some of them representing different drug-lords.

Jennifer walked up to the line of racers, sashaying as she did so, smugly aware that everyone was watching her. El couldn't help rolling her eyes. As the announcer counted down, El looked at the racers curiously. Her eyes fell on a biker in the middle, and she frowned. She was too far away to see properly, but the figure of him was very familiar. As El squinted she saw the unmistakable red symbol on his jacket.

She was so focused on him, trying to see if it really was that person, that she missed Jennifer throwing her arms back with the flag in her hand, giving the go signal. El blinked as the bikers took off.

'Wooo!' Shelby cheered next to her, while Logan hollered, pumping his fists in the air.

They were going at an incredible speed and she found herself being pushed and shoved as people tried to get closer to the barriers. The crowd was screaming and roaring, the sound practically hurting her ears. She winced as a drunk guy next to her practically roared into her ear, and she covered it, sighing.

The crowd screamed with excitement and El watched as the bikers zoomed up the ramps, flying into the air before coming back down again. The crowd started chanting a name and although it was too unclear for her to hear, she knew exactly who they were cheering for. The announcer yelled _his_ name excitedly in the loudspeaker.

'AND OUR CHAMPION, 'HELL RAISER' MIKE TAKES THE LEAD AS EXPECTED. LOOKS HE MIGHT BE PACKING ANOTHER WIN UNDER HIS BELT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.'

He was in the lead, racing at top speed around the track. He flew off each ramp easily, and after the third one, he skilfully lifted the front wheel in the air, while maintaining that fast speed. The crowd screamed, but El was silent, gazing awestruck at his skills.

'My money's definitely on him!' Logan told her loudly, so as to make himself heard over the crowd. 'Man, that Hydra wins every race he gets his hands on.'

The crowd roared as the bikers raced past the finish line. _He_ parked around forty yards away and was immediately greeted by his friends, as well as screams from the spectators when the announcer named him the winner. He removed his helmet and El caught sight of his handsome, brooding face. He was scowling, as if him winning the race was out of pure boredom. It was only then that El realised Max hadn't returned yet. She looked around trying to see if she could see her and failing. She tried not to get anxious. Max was probably going to meet her in a few minutes.

El turned her attention to the racing track, and immediately froze. _He_ was looking right at her. But – how could that be? He was at least forty yards away. How could he have spotted her so easily, especially in a crowd so big?

'Was this your first race?' Shelby yelled over the crowd, making conversation with her. 'Good, isn't it! Man, I remember my first race…'

El tuned out as she stared fixatedly at _him._ His dark gaze burned into her and she swallowed nervously, unable to look away. His friends were talking to him, trying to get his attention, but he ignored them, his stare fixed on her. He smirked dangerously. Suddenly, El felt faint. She just wanted to go find Max, get away from this crowd, away from _him_ specifically, and go back to the house. It was getting a bit too overwhelming for her now.

'I'm sorry, um – I gotta go find Max. It was nice meeting you.' She told Shelby, interrupting her.

'What, wait!' She called out to her, but El ignored her. She panicked slightly as she found her way barred by the crowd, but she pushed through, moving as quickly as possible. She had to resort using her elbows as she pushed past people, earning her several glares and choice names thrown at her. El ignored the all, continuing to push through.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, the crowd began to thin out. El sighed with relief as she ran freely without any obstacles. She still couldn't find Max, so she resorted to going back to the car and waiting.

El made her way to the parking lot but found there was one problem. It was huge. There were god knows how many vehicles parked here. There dozens of blue cars here as well, which just made it even harder. As El was unfamiliar with this place, it would probably take her all night to find the car.

'Damn it,' she muttered.

As she walked through the cars, looking around and trying to make sense of where she was, she suddenly collided with someone.

'Oi! Watch it.' An angry voice sounded out. El looked up to see she had bumped into a young man with a greased back hair-do and a tattoo on his neck.

'Oh, um sorry – I didn't see where I…', she trailed off once she looked behind him, and noticed he wasn't alone. He was hanging around with several other men leaning against a few motorbikes, smoking. They all wore leather jackets and had the same tattoo of a skull on their necks. They were all now penetrating her with dangerous stares.

'Was going.' She finished slowly, fear growing inside her.

'Hey there sweetheart. You look a bit lost, don't you now.' One of the men remarked. He moved towards her, eying her greedily. El instinctively backed away.

'Hold on now, Mick. We don't wanna scare this little girl here, do we now?' She heard another one of them say. She turned towards the voice.

The man who spoke was leaning against his motorcycle and taking drags from his cigarette. He had gelled back dirty blonde hair that reached his shoulders, and cold blue eyes. She noticed that he also had a few bruises on his face. He wasn't wearing anything under his leather jacket, exposing his several tattoos. He gazed at her, his cold eyes drinking her in.

'What's a little girl like you doing at the races?' He asked slowly. He moved from his leaning position and moved towards her. El tried to move backwards, but found her way blocked by the other men. Fear travelled through her veins, and she did her best to mask it.

'Um, I'm just gonna go, please? If you could let me through, I – I have to go find my friend.' She said nervously, her heart in her mouth.

The man laughed. It was a laugh that sent shivers down her spine. 'No. You're not going anywhere. You only just got here.' He stared at her, licking his lips.

She was now practically shaking in her boots, her breathing coming out rapid and shallow. _Not this. Not again. Please not this,_ she prayed desperately.

He was right in front of her, and El could smell the strong stench of alcohol from him. 'You're a pretty one, aren't you?' he murmured, his eyes filled with hunger and malice. She was completely paralysed as he reached out to touch her face.

'Hargrove!' A familiar voice sounded out, and El blinked as his hand froze mid-air. Her pulse pounded in her temple. The man looked up, past her, his mouth forming a sneer.

'Get the fuck away from her, you hear me?' _His_ voice was cold, and there was a hint of fury in it.

'This is none of your business, Mikey. Just me and the boys, having a bit of fun, here.' He remarked calmly, his sneer showing off several golden teeth.

'You're not gonna do anything with her, or _anyone_ on my watch. Remember how I pulverized you, Hargrove? I can just as easily do it a second time.'

'What the fuck does she have to do with you anyway? You her guardian angel or something?' He chortled with laughter, as did all the other men.

'She doesn't mean anything to me. You're just not allowed to hurt any girl here, got that!' _He_ snarled.

El took a deep breath and got up the courage to look behind her to where he was standing. He had a threatening stance, and was penetrating the man, with a look of such pure, raw, hatred.

'Let her go. Right. Now.' He said through gritted teeth.

For a moment, the man simply gazed at him, his expression unreadable. Then he slowly, reluctantly moved back, as did his other men, giving El room to move away.

She slowly walked away from them, feeling their gazes on her. She approached _him_ , who grabbed her by the arm without looking at her and put her firmly behind him, shielding her from the other men. His protectiveness made her heart leap, and she slowed her breathing, doing her best to calm down.

'Get off this territory right now, or I'll show your men for a second time what a useless fighter you are.' He threatened, his tone dark and foreboding.

The man glared at him, sneering at him in resentment. His eyes flicked behind him towards El, and she shivered at the greed she saw there.

'Don't you dare fucking look at her, Hargrove,' _he_ hissed. 'Have I not already made that clear to you?'

The man gazed at him in a toxic way and simply sneered. 'Come on boys. This place sucks anyways.'

They got on their motorcycles and _he_ moved her backwards a bit as their engines roared. One by one, they sped away.

El let out a breath she had been holding in, relaxing slightly. Immediately, _he_ whirled around to face her, still holding her by the arm. El was astonished to see anger there.

'What the fuck were you doing with them? Were you born stupid or something?' El opened her mouth, but no sound came out, so shocked she was, before he spoke again. 'No, better question, _what the hell are you doing here in the Westside?'_

He sounded so furious, that El found it hard to believe that was her he was directing his anger at.

'Victim-blaming are we, Mikey?' She said coldly, looking up at him daringly. His eyes flashed at the use of his name.

'Answer the damn question.' He seethed.

'Oh, so you think I just came wandering into the Westside and happened to find the races, hoping I would get attacked.' El said dryly.

'Well what the fuck am I supposed to think, when its barely three days since I saved you from those fuckers?'

'I came here with a friend as a matter of fact. She just wanted to hang out with me and –.' she stopped herself, unsure of what she was about to say next.

'Yeah?' He glared at her. 'You were saying?'

She glared back, irritation building up inside of her. 'Well, _I_ just wanted to thank you for saving me outside of Benny's, but I guess it doesn't matter now, does it?

He stared at her, his eyebrows raised slightly, almost as if he was surprised at that statement. He shrugged. 'Well? What are you waiting for then? I'm here now.'

El hesitated for a moment. He stood there, gazing down at her and waiting.

'Thank you.' She said finally. 'For helping me outside of Benny's. And for helping me now.'

He gazed at her with an unreadable expression and then nodded. 'You're welcome.'

She swallowed. 'Who were they? Those guys.'

He scowled as he turned towards the direction to where they had disappeared to. 'Our rival gang. The Undead Skulls. That was Billy Hargrove, their leader.' He turned back towards her. 'They're fucking dangerous, alright? They see everything – women included – like a sport. They see them as things. Like a game they like to play.' His voice was full of disgust as he looked over his shoulder.

'Aren't – aren't you dangerous too?' El asked carefully, unsure of what his answer was going to be. He whipped his head around to look at her. His gaze dark. 'Yeah, but I'm not like those motherfuckers. I wouldn't harm a woman even if you paid me. That's not who I am.' He ran his hand through his hair, before looking at her dead in the eyes. 'I might not be a good man, and I made some fucked up choices - but I am no monster. You can count on that.'

El stared up at him, her mouth open slightly as she took in what he was saying, and he gazed back at her, his expression unreadable. 'So, you came just to find me.' He said in a matter-of-fact way, then smirked. The tension between them grew. It was almost palpable now. He took a step closer to her, his pupils dilating as he eyed her, and she instinctively took a step back. She struggled to manage a sentence from her mouth, getting lost in his dark eyes. Her heart beat so erratically in her chest, she was sure it would fly out.

'Um,' she spoke nervously. 'My friend is probably looking for me, so-.' She attempted to move away.

'Not so fast.' He suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders, preventing her from moving away and he slowly backed her up against the side of a car. His arms moving to lean on the surface on either side of her.

He penetrated her with his dark stare. El gulped. 'What do you want?'

He smirked mirthlessly. 'I think - you owe me a few apologies, Miss Hopper.' He placed a lock of hair behind her ear, making her shiver.

El gaped at him. ' _That's_ what this is about.'

He scowled at her. 'You insulted me, _and_ physically hurt me. So yes, I do want an apology from you. Right. Now.' He said slowly, and carefully, making sure she heard every word clearly.

'Well that's too bad. Because you're not getting any.' She retorted, glaring at him. He chuckled coldly. 'I don't think so. Why don't you make this easier for both of us and apologise to me, El?'

'Or what?' She seethed, sneering at him daringly. 'What could you possibly do to me?'

As if answering her, he pressed himself further into her, reaching down and grabbing hold of her wrists. She froze, her eyes widening as she watched him. El breathed heavily, heart beating against her chest, as he began to move his head towards her neck.

Just then a voice called out, interrupting them.

'Mikey, _there you are_.' A whiney voice said. El turned her head slightly to see Jennifer approaching them, smirking alluringly. 'I've been looking all o-.'

She stopped, when she caught sight of El. Her smile faded, and she glared at the sight angrily.

'Jesus, what the fuck do you want Jennifer.' _He_ growled furiously. 'As you can see, I'm _busy.'_

'With _her?_ ' she said in disbelief. 'But she's not your type, Mikey.'

'You don't fucking know my type! And stop calling me Mikey!' He seethed.

'I need a ride home, babe, I was just hoping you could give me one.' El blinked at the word 'babe'.

'I don't have time Jennifer, just fuck _off!_ And how many times have I told you to stop saying that to me! We – aren't – together! _'_ He slightly moved his body away from El, as he yelled furiously at Jennifer. It took her about two seconds to get her head straight before she seized her chance. This evening was too much for her already. She just wanted to go find Max.

So, without hesitating, she ducked under his leather clad arm and sprinted off in the other direction. She heard him say ' _Shit!_ ' loud and clear, but she didn't turn around.

She wasn't going very fast and she was running stiffly as her back was still hurting. She sprinted into the crowd, desperately craning her neck to look above everyone's heads. _Damn it, why is she so fucking small!_

'Max,' she called out into the crowd. 'Max!'

As she rushed past an old shed like building around the back, where the crowds didn't go (she was madly hoping she'd find Max making out with her man or something), she suddenly felt warm hands grab her tightly by the waist. She gasped as she was pulled back against a hard chest.

'Let go of me!' She yelled, and she suddenly felt a hand clamp onto her mouth.

'Shhh. Gotcha,' _he_ whispered triumphantly. She squirmed, trying to free herself from his grasp.

'You didn't think really think you were going to run away, without apologising, did you?', he murmured. Loud, hip-hop music blared from speakers in the distance.

'Well isn't this familiar.' He chuckled darkly. His hand was hot against her stomach, and she couldn't help but shiver.

'Screw you,' she hissed, her voice muffled through his hand.

'You don't want to say you're sorry? Is that it?' He removed his hand from her mouth. 'So impolite.'

She gritted her teeth. 'Trust me, Danny Zuko. I've been apologising for poor excuses – basically nothing - my entire life. So, excuse me if I don't feel like apologising to you, because you do deserve it.'

She stopped breathing when he leaned down and nudged her neck. He brushed his lips againsy her skin, before suddenly pressing them firmly against the crook of her neck. El shivered as he did so, gulping. He pressed another kiss on her neck, then another.

He whispered something in her ear but she was too distracted to register it. She couldn't speak, her voice lodged in her throat, completely light-headed. Only an indistinguishable sound, escaped from her. He let his hand wander down his thigh, while his other maintained a grip on her hip. Slowly it inched beneath her top, towards her stomach.

He kissed her neck again, more firmly this time. El forgot how to think. She just wanted to say something, whatever he wanted to hear. She just wanted him to never stop. She couldn't help gasping as she felt his hardness through his jeans. His hand moved beneath her hoodie, and brushed against her navel.

She closed her eyes, leaning into his warmth. Without thinking, she leaned up and touched his face, running a finger down his jawline. She felt him shudder slightly. It felt like to her, that he couldn't stop himself either, like he couldn't stop touching her. It was a good feeling. She was growing more light-headed by the second

She was so caught up in the feel of him, that she didn't feel him slowly take the beanie off her head, as for him, it was in the way. He suddenly stopped kissing her neck, his hand retreating from beneath her hoodie and she almost whined, until she felt his fingers gently touching her head. Touching the bald patch.

'What the hell?' She heard him mutter. Her heart stopped. Immediately, she pulled away from him, pushing him away.

'Hey! Hey, stop.' He grabbed her by the forearms and made her look at him. She did so reluctantly.

'What happened to your hair? Did – did someone do that to you?' His voice was rising in anger. _Shit, shit, shit._

'What! No, no, it's nothing!' This was all going down-hill very fast.

'It's not nothing, the hair got pulled right out of your scalp! Is someone hurting you?' He demanded. He gripped her tightly. 'Tell me!'

'No, no, no one hurt me!' She tried to reassure him. She decided to use the excuse that she had thought of a few days ago if anyone actually saw it. 'My-my sister and I were fighting. We were pulling at each other's hair, and it got out of hand.'

'Your sister?' He stared at her in disbelief, his eyes narrowed. ' _She_ did that to you.'

'Yeah. I mean I – pulled her hair out too. So, we're even, you know?' She gave a half smile. He didn't smile back.

'A fight. That's all it was?' El nodded, doing her best to look convincing. He stared at her darkly.

'Are you s-.' Just then a voice called out his name, interrupting him.

'Mike! Mike there you are!' It belonged to another Hydra, one El recognised as being one of the other bikers that were there the night she met _him_. He was the quiet, more serious one. He barely looked at her, as he addressed him, his eyes wide and alert.

'What is it now, Will?' _He_ demanded, irritated with their second interruption.

'He's here.'

Those two words seemed to wake something up in him. His expression immediately darkened. It was almost – and El hated to say it – murderous.

'Okay. Just give a minute, alright?'

Will nodded, casting a curious glance in El's direction before striding away. _He_ turned around to look at her again, the lust still there in his gaze as he drank her in. He leaned his hands on either side of her, against the wall behind her, gazing at her, his expression unreadable. He reached over, touching her face gently, before moving his hand into her hair, threading it through the strands. He reached the back of her head, where the bad patch was, and smoothed his fingers over it gently.

El closed her eyes as he did so, relishing the feel of him and he then moved his hand down to her jaw. She felt him smooth his thumb gently over her cheekbone, before leaning over and whispering in her ear.

'Take care of yourself, okay.'

El opened her eyes as he moved away. There was now something else in his eyes. Was that – regret? El was confused. He held eye contact with her as he moved backwards. The tension between them could have been cut with a knife. He then turned and disappeared into the crowd.

El didn't know what to think. Her mind was scattered everywhere, and she was in such a daze, she wouldn't be surprised if she fell right over. _What the hell had just happened?_

She could just about register someone calling her name, before she found herself being shaken by the very person she had been trying to find for the past half hour.

'El.' She screeched. 'There you are! I've been looking all over for you! Why did you just wander off like that! Forget I asked that, right now we don't have time! Come on!' El let her drag her away, still in a daze. Her heart pounding in her ears as she struggled to comprehend what had just happened

'Cops are here El! Including your _dad! We have to go!'_

This snapped El out of her trance. 'Wait – _my dad's here!'_

'Yes, am I speaking Spanish? _Let's go!'_

Everyone was scattering, running here and there, screaming in panic. El felt panic rise in her as she heard the sirens. _Oh god._

'Why are they here? I thought this place is untouchable!'

'Yeah, it's supposed to be! Maybe they got a tip-off.'

They managed to reach Max's car, which as it turned out had been moved to the back of the field near a dirt track, away from all the other cars, ' _so, in case you're right and we need a quick getaway,'_ Max had explained.

They managed to drive off down the dirt track and get back onto the main road. Max heaved a sigh of relief.

El's head was reeling. She didn't say anything as Max drove her home, which caused her friend to give her several worrying glances.

'El, honey, are you okay? Where were you? Please tell me if something happened. You'd tell me if something happened, right?'

'Nothing happened, Max.' El told her quietly. 'I'm just tired.'

'Are you sure? Maybe it wasn't such a good idea bringing you, maybe you were right, I mean fuck we were nearly caught! Like what were the chances of that happening!'

El wasn't listening. All she could think about was _him_ \- his open-mouthed kisses along her neck. Slow and unhurried, like they had all the time in the world. His hands gripping her hips as he rubbed his crotch against her. Just the thought of it made her feel aroused all over again, and she swallowed, biting her lip. _What the hell was happening to her?_

* * *

'Where the hell were you, you little whore!'

El turned at the sound of her voice, heart leaping to her throat. She was only five minutes late and she had hoped she could sneak in unnoticed. Her hopes were sadly dashed. Diane stood there seething, her arms folded tightly. El opened her mouth, but her head was sharply jerked to the side as she felt Diane's fist connect with her face. Her cheek stung from the impact.

'How dare you!' She hissed. 'What did you do, screw someone?' She shoved her hard against the wall. El grunted as her back was hit with yet another force. She felt _her_ hands grip her throat, and she choked as Diane cut off the air. 'By the time I'm finished with you, you little rat, you're going to wish you had never disobeyed me. And now my French manicure is ruined, thanks to you!'

El couldn't breathe, desperately pulling at her hands, trying to free herself. Her eyes watered.

Just then, the doorbell rang, and El gasped for air as Diane let her go. Her expression confused.

'What in the world?' She muttered. She turned towards El. 'Go to the kitchen and stay out of sight. If I catch you spying, you will be sorry.' She turned on her heel and walked away.

El winced as she massaged her throat, quickly moving to the kitchen. She heard the front door open and voices at the door. El jumped when she heard Diane's voice, which was loud with panic.

'My husband! What do you mean, something happened with my husband!'

El, as quietly as she could, moved to the kitchen door. Peeking out she saw there were two police officers, her dad's colleagues standing there with serious expression on their faces. El's heart hammered against her chest. _Oh no._

'There was an incident in the Westside, ma'am.' One of them said to her. 'Your husband was dealing with some criminal lowlifes, a gang apparently, and he was severely beaten up. He is currently being treated at the general hospital. As far as we know, he's in a serious condition.'

Diane was white with shock. She gripped the front door, shaking violently. 'Who were they?' She asked shakily, her voice rising shrilly. 'Who was it who beat up my husband! I'll end them! I swear to you, I will end them.'

The two police officers looked at each other. 'They're a notorious gang, ma'am. You may have heard of them. The Shadow Hydras.'

El was shivering, either from the cold or from what she was hearing. She heard the next thing they said, and she clutched her mouth, sick to the stomach and nearly throwing up all over the white tiled floor at the new information.

'We have reason to believe that their leader, 'Hell Raiser' Mike, was the one leading the assault.'


	6. Chapter 6

**Whew! Well that was a rollercoaster. This chapter has definitely been the hardest thing I've ever written. I apologise for the long wait, and promise I'm going to try to update more regularly. Again, all your support just completely overwhelms me. Thank you again!**

 **So just to be warned, there is some mature stuff coming up. Nothing smutty. But I'd thought I'd just let you know. This is the scene I'm sure some of you have been waiting for ;)**

 **Thank you guys X**

* * *

A loud buzzing noise filled the room, jerking Mike awake. Scowling, he looked blearily over as his alarm clock. Ten thirty. He groaned and rolled over, rubbing his eyes. He was completely and utterly exhausted, not to mention the splitting headache he was currently suffering as a consequence of his heavy drinking the previous night. Hangovers were a bitch. The floor beside his bed was littered with empty glass bottles, but Mike wasn't bothered to clean it up.

When things went awry, he would drink away his frustrations and worries. But as a result of his heavy drinking and finding a constant need to tear up the place in his drunkenness, he hadn't gotten any sleep for the past two days. He couldn't. Mike wasn't a coward, far from it actually. But he just couldn't face her. Not after what he had just did. Just fucking perfect.

She wouldn't want to see him now. Despite that she lived on the opposite side of town, Mike knew that their next meeting was inevitable. It seemed like fate had plans for them, like it wanted them to constantly bump into each other, over and over again. It was making fun of them, of _him_. And Mike hated it.

Before, he was intrigued by his attraction to her, this chemistry sparking between them. Now, he knew he was probably the last person she wanted to see. He just got her dad in hospital for fuck's sake! And as for him – he just wanted to hole up in his room and forget all his problems by drinking to his content. But he couldn't ignore the dreading feeling that he was going to see her again. That much was obvious. Yes – karma definitely had it in for him.

Mike rolled his eyes when he saw his cell phone ringing. He should have switched the damn thing off. He didn't have time for Will's calls, or _anyone's_ calls right now. All he wanted to do was stay in his trailer, and not leave.

Mike picked up the phone to turn it off but stopped short when he saw the caller's identity. He stiffened, his eyes widening slightly. Only one thought echoed through his head as he stared at the name flashing on the phone's screen. _Fuck._

He immediately got out of bed and made his way to the kitchen. Slowly and reluctantly, he pressed the green answer button and held the phone to his ear. He heard the breathing on the other end, harsh and heavy, and Mike braced himself for whatever _he_ had to say. It was silence on both ends for a moment.

'Dad.' Mike addressed him in a deadpan voice. He had all the emotions of wet concrete, his facial muscles just as loose and blank. He fixed his gaze out the window in front of him, staring out at his front yard, and the all the other trailers scattered in the distance. He clenched and unclenched his fist as he waited for his father to answer.

'What did you do, boy? What the fuck were you thinking!' His snarling voice filled Mike's ear, cold fury vibrating through it.

Mike kept his voice in a monotone. 'I had to do it. Just a little problem I had to take care of. Besides, it doesn't concern you.'

'Doesn't concern me?' His father spat angrily. 'Remember who you're talking to! '

'It's nothing, Dad! Nothing to be concerned about.' Mike sat on one of the stools at the counter. 'It's done and taken care of, I swear.'

'Listen here boy. I didn't spend a lifetime leading the hydras, doing everything I can to protect them – _protect us_ – from the goddamn law, just for my bastard kid to ruin everything.'

'I didn't ruin anything Dad! There's nothing to worry about.' Mike raised his voice. 'I had a dispute with the chief is all.'

'A fucking _dispute_!' Mike didn't flinch when he heard a crash from the other end. Meaning his father had smashed something. 'You and your pals – _my men,_ for your information - have landed the chief in hospital. From what Powell told me, you fucked him up really bad.'

He breathed heavily, seething. 'And this ain't no normal cop. No, boy. No, _you – you,_ had to target the fucking chief of police.' He lowered his voice, hissing through the phone. 'Do you have any idea what you've done.'

'I'm not stupid Dad. I know exactly what I did! And I took all the precautions.' Mike hissed. 'He was alone, I swear. No one saw. It was in an alley for fuck's sake. It wasn't the damn Pentagon, there weren't any security cameras at every random corner.' Mike ran a hand through his hair in annoyed frustration. He had to keep his temper in check. 'And believe me – _this_ was fucking necessary. I had to deal with the bastard myself. It's done now. There's nothing we can do about it.'

'You beat up a police officer, boy! All they need his eyewitness account. You're gonna get us all arrested now.' His father roared furiously. Another smashing noise on his end of the phone was heard.

'He won't say anything.' Mike went over the sink and began pouring the remnants of a vodka bottle down the drain. 'I've made sure of it. We made a little deal. That bastard is hiding a lot more than he lets on.' He said darkly.

Mike heard his father suck in a sharp breath. 'All right, boy. You listen here, and you listen good and hard. You took it too far this time – too far for your own good. You fucking risked us all, you understand me! You risked our exposure. I don't care what personal vendetta you have against Chief Hopper, boy, do not even think about pullin' a stunt like that ever again!' Mike sucked in a breath. He knew.

'This ain't how a Hydra leader is supposed to act. We don't give in to our personal problems. Everything you do, is for the benefit of this gang, you understand.' He paused momentarily. 'When I made you second in command, I did it because I knew you were ready for the burden. You were ready to lead, to take on responsibilities that only _I_ can take care of. I wanted you to take my place one day.' Mike gritted his teeth, his whole-body stiff with anger. His father continued in a dangerously low voice. 'Don't make me regret it.'

Mike swallowed. For the first time in a long time, he felt a flash of panic. He raised his voice, keeping it in the monotone. 'I'm sorry, Dad. It won't happen again, I promise.'

'I'm letting you off just this once,' his father snarled. 'But if you ever risk the Hydras exposure again, I will personally see to it, that you're exiled. You understand me?'

'Yes.' Mike said stiffly, fury simmering beneath his exterior. Whether it was directed at his dad, the chief, the world, or himself, he didn't know. He heard a grunt on the other end as his father hung up.

Mike stood with his muscles tensed, working the muscles in his jaw, and anger slowly bubbling up in him. He clenched his fists so tightly, they shook.

He roared in rage and, quick as a flash, he flung his phone across the room, where it smashed upon impact against the far wall.

* * *

'Wait, so _how_ does it go again?'

El sighed. 'I've already showed you twice now, Max.'

'I know, but it's geometry for fuck's sake. No one can do it! Except you of course.' Max added quickly.

El shook her head. 'I thought you said you had a photographic memory.'

Max scoffed. 'Of course, I do! Just not for Maths. Haven't you figured that out yet?'

El rolled her eyes exasperatedly, and reluctantly set about showing her friend for the third time how to do her homework. It's not that El didn't want to help Max. She did. But it was mainly because she just needed a distraction.

It was just – oh God. She didn't know what to think. One minute he's all dangerous and threatening, the next minute he's just so – alluring. Gentle. He acts like cares about her. She lets him touch her, makes her lose all logical sense in her. And then something like this happens.

The bell suddenly went, interrupting El's thoughts. She almost bit her thumb as she jumped, startled.

'Well. Can't be late for biology,' Max said cheerily, hopping off the counter, and grabbing her books.

'Now do you get it?' El questioned her. Max shrugged. 'More or less. Yeah. Kinda.'

'Kinda? Were you even listening to me, Max!'

'Yeah, I was, don't worry about it El.'

El heaved a sigh, rubbing her forehead. She wouldn't be surprised if she died with frustration about her friend. She glanced at Max, who was stuffing her books in her bag. 'No weed today, I see.'

'Nope!' Max ran a hand through her hair. 'I figured I might give it a break. Just for a couple of days or so.'

El snorted. 'We'll see about _that!'_

'So, listen, El.' El turned to her friend as she pulled her bag on her shoulder. 'Yeah?'

Max wrung her hands. 'Next week is Logan's birthday – you know Logan, the guy you met at the races.'

'I know who he is Max,' El smiled slightly.

'Okay well, we're going out for a few drinks next weekend if you want to come?' Max shuffled on her feet. 'It's totally cool if you don't want to come. I mean-.' She gave a nervous laugh. 'It was a bit of a close call last time.'

El bit her lip. It _was_ a close call last time. As much as she wanted to get out for a bit, she couldn't. And it wasn't just because she feared Diane's wrath.

She hadn't seen him in about a week. After what he did to her dad – well she had every right to not want to see him anytime soon. Her dad had been severely beaten up, he was in a serious condition up until a few days. Eight broken ribs, a bruised tailbone, a fractured collarbone, a broken nose _and_ ankle. He was going to stay in hospital for at least another three weeks.

She didn't know how she would react if she ever saw _him_ again. But for now, she hadn't seen or heard of him. And she was going to do her utmost best to make sure it stayed that way.

But oh lord. Every time she thought back to their encounter at the races, more specifically his method of making her apologise to him, she felt warmth pool in her belly. She couldn't help it. As much as she hated it, he now invaded her every thought. She couldn't figure out a maths problem without thinking of the feel of his hands gripping her hips. She couldn't write down a single word for her English assignment, because she kept thinking back to when he grinded against her in a very sultry way when he had finally caught up to her. She couldn't listen to a teacher explain anything without remembering how he had kissed her neck. He just makes her feel – just so – _alive._

'El!' She was snapped out of her zoning out moment when Max impatiently snapped her fingers in front of her face. 'You still with me?'

'Um yeah. Yeah, sorry.'

Max cocked her head at her. 'Where did you disappear to this time?'

'Um, nowhere.' El shrugged, grinning at her convincingly. Max raised her eyebrows but didn't press any further. 'So – back to what we were talking about? The party?'

El grimaced. 'Yeah, um about that. I _really_ don't know, Max. After last time? Not a good idea.'

'Yeah, I figured,' Max shrugged, but she sounded slightly disappointed. She pulled her bag onto her shoulder. 'Well if you change your mind, just tell me. Oh, by the way we can go to Benny's again this afternoon. My treat?'

'Max, you can't keep spending money on me!'

'Why not? It's not like I'm buying anything super expensive. Just takeaway food.'

El sighed. 'Okay. But you're _not_ getting me those chilli cheese fries. Not again.'

'Yeah, _oh my god_ I can't believe you don't like them! It's a crime against nature!'

El laughed as they walked out of the girl's bathroom. She really was lucky to have met Max.

* * *

'You're hiding something.'

El whirled from where she was scrubbing the toilet. Her stepmother was standing in the doorway of the bathroom with her arms folded, her lips pressed in a thin line.

'I'm sorry?', she asked her, confused.

'Don't play dumb you little tramp. Did you really think Iwouldn't _notice?'_ She hissed.

El immediately stood up, the scrubbing brush still in her hand. 'I'm not hiding- ', she broke off with a hiss of pain when Diane grabbed her by the hair, yanking hard. 'Are you screwing someone? Is that it?'

Before El could answer, Diane roughly threw her down onto the marbled floor. El helplessly lifted her arms to give herself some kind of protection, before feeling something slam into her stomach, expelling the air from her lungs.

She choked, and doubled over, pain screaming through her abdomen, before her foot connected with her stomach again. She was wearing runners today, having just gotten back from the gym. Her eyes watered slightly as she endured a third blow, before Diane finally stepped back.

'Don't think you can hide anything from me. I will find out, whether you like it or not.' Diane spat, before whirling and marching away. El pressed her lips together, scrunching her eyes as she did her best to shut out the pain. She took several steady breaths. All the while, the hatred grew inside of her. She wanted to lash out at something, anything.

After several minutes, El slowly forced herself upwards. Her stomach was on fire. There was going to be bruising there. Taking huge gulps of air, she slowly hobbled down to the basement, every step making her body burn like hell, where she got an ice pack from the freezer and gently pressed it to her aching abdomen.

She walked stiffly to her room, where she slowly lay down on her bed. Slowing her breathing and doing her best to shut out the pain. Even so she felt emotions disappear, and she found herself sinking deeper into that dark hole that had become a part of her over the years. There was a roaring in her ears, and she clenched her fists, staring at the dim light bulb on her ceiling.

She closed her eyes, trying to expel that darkness from her and desperate to think of anything except the pain. She thought of Max, with her witty comments and kind personality. Her mind then flashed unwillingly to someone else, someone who rarely strayed from her thoughts nowadays. She began to think of his alluring smirk, his dark eyes, his handsome chiselled face, the face that reminded her so much of James Dean. His brow knitted together in concern when he saw where her hair had been yanked out.

El squeezed her eyes shut. Anything but him. She couldn't do it anymore. Not him. Not ever.

* * *

The week passed by quickly, with El immersing herself in schoolwork and taking care of the many different chores she had to do. Every now and then, she would think about her dad, say a quick prayer for him even though she wasn't particularly religious. Her mother had been a practicing Catholic, as were her parents when they were still alive. If her mother was still alive, maybe she would be one too.

But after everything – El couldn't bring herself to do that. She didn't doubt that there was a God. There probably was. But she had suffered her whole life. Where was he then, if he cared so much of his people?

Then on the day of the proposed birthday celebration for Logan, Diane cornered her and told her she was staying out late. She was visiting her dad in the hospital, and wouldn't be back until at least half nine, so she expected all her chores done by the time she got back or there would be serious trouble.

El couldn't help but realise that this was the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the fact that neither Jim nor Diane were home. Which meant she could go out that night. Assuming of course that she doesn't bump into _you know who._

Max was ecstatic when she found out, and immediately assured her that they were just going out for a few drinks. El hoped so. She didn't want any more drama. Especially none with _him_ involved.

* * *

It was coming on half seven when El left the house. Max was there waiting for her in her car at the end of the street. 'Are you sure about this El?' Max asked worriedly, as El got inside.

El glanced at herself in the rear-view mirror. A pale, unsure face stared back at her. 'Yeah. Yeah, I am. Just drive, before I change my mind please.'

'Sure.' Max pulled away from the curb. 'Oh, and you might want to lose the hoodie.' El stared at her, raising her eyebrows. 'Seriously? There a dress code there or something?'

'No, of course not, it can just get very stuffy and warm in there. Though I would appreciate it if you would - you know. Lose the emo look every once in a while. It gets very boring, like _how_ do you live like that?'

El shrugged. 'Easy to take on and off.' _Easy to cover everything up,_ she inadvertently thought.

'Okay, well listen honey, I'm giving you some of my old clothes. They should fit you seeing as you're basically the size _I_ was when I was twelve.' El rolled her eyes at that remark.

'Really though, El.' She looked over reluctantly. Max was doing her no-nonsense look. 'I'm not playing around here.' She gestured at her navy hoodie. 'Hoodie. Off.'

El grumbled as she took it off and thanked her lucky stars that she was wearing a long sleeved top underneath it. She knew that if she was going to a little party, chances were that someone was going to make her take her baggy sweatshirt off. Her top was skimpy enough and hugged her slim figure in a surprisingly nice way. Max nodded in approval when she saw it. 'Much better.'

Ten minutes later they pulled over outside a bar. It was in the outskirts of Westside, right between the two areas, so they were unlikely to bump into any particularly dangerous people. El read the name of the inn. 'The Irish Bar,' she said slowly, raising her eyebrows. 'Very specific. Do they only specialise in Guinness?'

'Oh, shush!' Max threw an arm around her. 'This place tops all the other bars in Hawkins, believe me. My aunt and her boyfriend own it, so it means we'll get free booze.'

'Well you can count me out on that Max. I don't drink.'

'That's okay, honey.' Max sighed. 'I admire your determination. Wish I had more sense like you do, when _I_ started drinking.'

'Well I'm telling you now Max. The whole thing is just totally overrated. At the end of the night, all you're going to get is a hangover and puke in your bathroom.'

Max snorted. 'A bit late for telling me that now. But you could educate all the elementary school kids with that fact. Luckily, like you _I_ won't be drinking anything, despite the fact it's on the house. I'm still driving. So, you won't have to worry about having a drunk girl on your arm.' She strode into the bar, with El on her heels.

'Well at least you're being responsible about _that_ ,' El muttered.

Immediately as she went in, El was greeted by the noise. The bar was filled to the brim with people ranging from their late teens to their eighties. Unlike the races, the noise wasn't rowdy and violent sounding. It was more relaxed, and cheerful. Just some normal people enjoying some drinks with friends. The place was brightly lit, and traditional Irish music blasted from a speaker. It was a crowded small space, so they had to squeeze through people, but El didn't mind. Just the whole atmosphere was completely different to what El had been expecting. It felt more – homely here.

Max and El were greeted with wide hugs by Logan, who seemed genuinely pleased that El had made it, giving her an extra big one, so that when he pulled away, El found herself smiling. She was relieved that they were all dressed relatively casually, and not like what they were wearing at the races. Shelby was also there, as well a female friend of hers, who introduced herself as Nicola. She had long curly platinum blonde hair that tumbled around her shoulders and had a nose piercing. She would have reminded El of Stacy or Jennifer, had she not had a warm smile on her face. She gave El a particularly long look, a smile tugging on her face. 'I have to ask. You single by any chance?'

'Nic!' Shelby chastised. Logan rolled his eyes in exasperation.

'What? I'm just asking.' Nicola smiled brightly at El. 'Well? Are you?'

El shook her head. 'Sorry, I – um – don't like girls that way. I appreciate it though.'

'That's okay.' Nicola threw an arm around her. 'I'm kinda desperate tonight anyway. My girlfriend of nine months just broke up with me, and I _need_ a distraction that isn't booze.'

'Great first impression, Nicola.' Max rolled her eyes. 'You need to stop going around flirting with every female you come across.'

'It's not my fault I'm born desperate.' Nicola chuckled. 'Come now! Who's buying the drinks tonight? I know! Logan is.'

'What!' Logan snapped his head up. 'But it's my birthday. My _eighteenth_ , to be specific, _Nicola_.' He said slowly as if he were talking to a slow and very stupid jock, gritting his teeth.

'She's messing, Logan.' Shelby said quickly. 'We're getting free booze remember, thanks to Maxine's many connections. Don't worry, it's your day, don't forget.'

'Yeah Nicola. Hear that? It's _my_ day!' Logan said loudly, throwing her a glare. Nicola just laughed it off, and El found herself smiling as well. But then she frowned. 'Hold on – _Maxine?'_

Everyone turned to look at her. El gaped at Max, who was standing very still. 'Maxine is your real name? How did I not know this?'

'Our Maxie here, detests that name.' Logan announced, smirking. 'She was named after her grandmother.'

'Oh, shut up!' Max glared. 'Yeah, yeah very funny. We're all laughing here! Now thanks to you guys, my first _normal_ friend knows. Thanks a lot!'

They all just burst out laughing. In the end, Max laughed along with them. 'Alright guys, who is up for free drinks.' They all went to a booth enthusiastically, with El being dragged along.

Nearly an hour later, El was bored. She had done her best to join in, but with none of them sober, it was difficult to do that. Everyone had drunk to their content, and were cheerily laughing away, but right now they were now starting to lose interest.

'I'm bored guys!' Nicola groaned. She suddenly perked up. 'I'm such a dummy. What about the fight this evening?'

'Fight?' El questioned.

'The weekly fights in the fight arena! It's just ten minutes from here, we can just walk down.'

'Yeah actually, I haven't been to one in a while.' Shelby said enthusiastically. 'Do you wanna go El?'

'I – don't know.' She said in an unsure tone. 'What kind of fighting is it?'

'A form of MMA – mixed martial arts.' Logan told her. 'Might as well put my birthday money to good use and do some betting!'

'So… you want to watch a couple of people beat each other up?'

'It'll be fun, El.' Max rubbed her shoulder in an assuring manner. 'Promise.'

Except that it wouldn't be fun. Because all El will be able to think about, is how her dad got hurt, and almost killed. Max didn't know about what had happened with her dad. No one did. For some strange reason, they were all keeping it hushed. But if she said she didn't want to go, however unhappy she was about it, she was being selfish. So, El shrugged and half smiled. 'It's Logan's call. It's not every day a guy turns eighteen.'

'My point exactly.' Logan flipped his green hair off his face, grinning. 'So, are we going ladies?'

'You bet we are.' Nicola grinned, jumping up from her seat. 'Let's go.'

* * *

The fight arena was in a huge warehouse around the centre of Westside. Inside, the crowd was very similar to the crowd at the races; loud, rowdy, rough. The roared in approval at the ongoing fight. El let her friends lead her through the crowd, where they managed to get up a balcony that ran all along the wall. From up there, El had a good view of the fight. But the moment he caught a glimpse of the fighters on the raised platform in the middle of the room, she immediately wished she had just gone home.

El couldn't tear her gaze away from the fight. _He_ was clearly winning, taking out his opponent with a series of hard punches. He was shirtless, wearing only a pair of jeans. His torso shone with sweat and she caught a glimpse of several tattoos in intricate like patterns. He turned around, snarling as he delivered the blows on his opponent, and El saw on his back, a huge tattoo of a several headed creatures. A hydra. It made sense for his legacy to be branded on him permanently.

Max and the others seemed to be enjoying themselves, whooping and cheering. But not El. All she could think about when she saw Mike beating up that other guy, was her dad. That must have been how it looked like. The other man was doing his best to fight back, but his efforts were in vain. The crowd ooed as _he_ landed a hard headbutt right on his face. The man stumbled back, dazed, before collapsing on his knees, and then onto the ground. He had been knocked out. El felt like throwing up.

The crowd counted ten seconds, but the other fighter didn't get up. The crowd shrieked their approval, and the announcer named the winner excitedly. The Hydra leader simply stood there, his face a cold emotionless mask. He jumped off the platform and was handed a towel by some of his fellow men.

El swallowed, her posture stiff as she took him in from where she stood on the balcony. One of his friends cracked a joke, and he chuckled, his face losing that coldness for just a moment. She couldn't help but feel a surge of anger, as he was congratulated, without a care in the world. He probably wasn't even sorry. Was this his life? Beating up anyone who tried to install a little bit of justice for the town. That was all her da had been doing. And it got him in hospital.

The fact that this guy – this gang - could just get away with something like that…El just couldn't fathom it.

Her legs were moving before she could fully grasp what was going on. She descended the steps of the balcony and slowly strode through the crowd. Never taking her eyes off him. Her fists were clenched tight and her pulse was pounding in her ears. The noise of the crowd disappeared, leaving behind a faint buzzing. All she saw was him. Her resentment festered inside of her the closer she got to him.

He noticed her when she was about ten feet away. It seemed that he would always find her in a crowd, no matter the chances. His expression registered surprise, then something dark and unreadable. Not glancing at his comrades, he pushed past them and began making his way to her. His empty eyes boring holes into her.

Before she knew it, he was right in front of her and she couldn't help but feel vulnerable as he stood before her, his body nothing but vast, lean muscle. He loomed over her, his gaze boring into her. The dim lighting half illuminated his toned and muscled torso, which was shining with sweat. She could just make out his tattoos on his biceps. She did her best to focus his gaze on him. But she found she could get no words out as she stared into his eyes. As usual, his gaze had caused her to lose the ability to speak.

'Well, well, well.' He drawled, raising an eyebrow. 'Look who decided to show up to cheer me on.'

El gaped at him, numb with shock. Was he fucking kidding? Was he actually for real! After what he had done to her father, that was all he had to say? She bit back her anger, completely speechless. Was this normal for him? Nearly killing someone, and then going about his day as if nothing had happened?

El thought about the man he had just beat up, how he had been knocked unconscious, and a wave of fury crashed through her. That was how he had beaten up her dad. _Her dad!_ Did he have no remorse? Clearly not, judging by the lazy smirk on his face.

Rage pounded in her like a heartbeat, and she snapped. She barely had a chance to think about her actions, or about the consequences. Before she could stop herself, she connected her hand with his cheek, whipping it across his face as hard as she could, resulting in loud crack. Vibrations stung her hand, but she barely noticed. She breathed hard as his head jerked slightly from the impact. His face going from shock to outrage to pure, unadulterated fury. Her hand had left no track marks on his face, and his eyes were flashing with rage. El should have felt scared under that dark, terrifying gaze full of wrath. But she only stood her ground, glaring at him furiously with her eyes narrowed. She wasn't gonna back down. Not now. Not ever.

'Did you just fucking hit me!' He snarled angrily, his flaming gaze burning into her with raw anger. If looks could kill, El was certain she would already be dead. She did just hit an important member of the most dangerous gang in Hawkins – in a public place.

'What the _fuck_ is wrong with you!' She yelled at him. He was both taken aback and furious at her response.

El saw red, and suddenly she found herself launching herself at him, hitting him with her fists as hard as she could. She was vaguely aware that they had an audience, but she was too preoccupied with taking out her fury on the gang member who she may or may not have a thing with.

He grabbed hold of her wrists, attempting to keep her still, but it just ignited more anger in her, and she fought against his grip.

'For fuck's sake woman!' He growled furiously. Before she could register it, he had picked her up, and hauled her over his shoulder like a backpack. El shrieked even louder, kicking at him and pounding on his bare back with all her might. 'Put me down! Put me down, you fucking asshole!'

He ignored her, simply tightening his hold on her struggling body and striding quickly through the parting crowd. El saw the several astonished looks that were being thrown their way. She knew how it all looked. They obviously thought she had lost her mind. She had dared confront the notorious 'Hell Raiser Mike' and showed him up in public.

He carried her outside, where it was just beginning to rain. She felt several raindrops land on her head. She was going to be soaked within minutes, but she couldn't care less. She simply carried un pummelling the gang leader, yelling insults.

He walked around the side of the building, away from the public eye, before finally setting her down. She shoved him away, but he grabbed hold of her wrists, pushing her back against the wall, his eyes blazing angrily. She glared back at him, refusing to back down.

'What the hell is your problem!' He seethed.

'My problem? Is that you're a fucking asswipe, _that's my problem!'_ She yelled. 'You hurt my dad, and now he's in hospital. How could you! How could you do that!'

'Trust me, princess. I had my reasons,' he said through gritted teeth.

'Oh really? Well, what were those reasons then?'

'None of your fucking business.' He rolled his eyes. 'Just let it go, will you!'

'No! No, just no! I deserve to know!' She shouted at him, anger ripping through her. 'This isn't some random person we're talking about. This is _my_ dad we're talking about! You and your cronies, beat up _my dad,_ who by the way, is a good man who is only looking out for the people in this town. He didn't do anything to deserve this!'

'Oh yeah?' He brought his face closer to her, his expression cold. 'What makes you so sure?'

'I don't need proof you prick! I just know that when compared to you _and_ your gang, he's a better man than you'll ever be!' El gave a sharp gasp as he suddenly pushed her against the wall again. He glowered darkly at her. 'Watch your mouth El,' he hissed, 'If I were you, _I_ wouldn't be so reckless around me.'

'I can say whatever the hell I want to you, it's not like you're actually going to do _anything_.'

'I wouldn't make so many assumptions. Smart girl like you?' He sneered cruelly. 'Well, I must say, I expected you to be smarter than this.'

'You did something fucked up and completely unforgivable.'

'What – beating up your deadbeat dad?' He scoffed. 'Don't start defending him.'

El's heart froze. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. She didn't have any words for this. How did he-

She brushed away the shock and glared at him coldly. 'Don't you _dare_ say that. He's not a deadbeat!'

'Oh yeah?' He scoffed, smiling darkly. 'Then answer this. Why doesn't he ever talk about you? Why is it, that every time someone asks about his _beautiful_ , successful, nuclear family, you're somehow always left out? Why is it that he always seems to pretend that _you_ don't exist?' He leaned his arms on the wall on either side of her head, sneering slightly. 'Like you're uh – oh I don't know. Like you're a blemish in his perfect little family, and he doesn't want to acknowledge that.'

'Stop it!' El seethed, clenching her fists. 'That's _not_ true.'

'You see El, I don't know you that well, nor your father. And I certainly don't know your family. But as a curious stranger observing this relationship, it just seems like something's – off. I mean shit, that first night when he picked you up, well - he basically treated you like a stranger.'

'Shut up!', she hissed.

'I know this kind of situation very well, darling. You feel like that no matter what you do, no matter how _hard_ you try - they're never happy. They're just never satisfied. It's this endless cycle of trying to please them, failing _every_ time.' She gritted her teeth, refusing to look at him. He took her by the chin, making her look up. His eyes surprisingly gentle. 'I _know_ El. Fuck, I know - I do.' His voice was quieter now, no longer laced with anger.

El flinched slightly as he slightly grazed her cheek with the back of his hand. 'I know all this El, because I've been there. I've been there, alright? I know how you feel. Because you see – ', he smiled slightly, but the darkness remained. 'We're not so different after all.' This snapped her out of his understanding gaze. She slapped his hand away.

' _Shut up!'_ She raged, her voice inching higher every time she spoke. 'I – am _nothing_ like you! Nothing! You got that!'

'I think you are, El. You are like me. More than you think. El, just - please.' He ran a hand through his soaking wet hair in frustration. 'I mean – shit – I get it. I get it El.'

'NO! No, you don't get _anything_! You don't know me, you don't know the _first thing_ about me!'

'I know you're attracted to me. That I am definitely sure about.' He chuckled, smirking alluringly.

'Shut up! Just stop!' She spat in disgust and shoved him away. It wasn't very hard, but he simply let her push him away, still smirking. He chuckled slightly as she stood there, shaking with fury. He shook his head. 'You're a stubborn one, aren't you?'

'Asshole!'

He sighed. 'Is that all you got princess? I have to say, I'm quite disappointed with your lack of names for me.'

'I hate you!'

He smirked, his dark eyes twinkling. 'That's a pity.' He stepped closer to her. 'Because I've actually taken a shine to you.'

El glowered at him. He slowly smiled as he got closer. His expression flashed with frustration. 'Why are you defending him? Your dad ignores you for fuck's sake.'

'You know nothing about the relationship between me and my father!'

'I know that he doesn't appreciate you for who you are. I know that he prefers to think you don't exist. I know that the rest of your family do the same,' he told her. El bit her lip so hard, she could taste blood. She had no idea how he had gotten all this information. Was that one time he saw her with her dad – the night she first met him – was it really that obvious? No one had even noticed before. No one cared.

Or maybe - he's right. Maybe, somehow, they are alike. Because he was able to see what kind of a relationship she had with her father.

 _No._ She shook herself out of it. She's not like him, she told herself. There's no way that she is. He's a bad person. He doesn't let anything, or anyone stand in his way. He's ruthless, he hurts people to get what he wants, he-

'What if I told you that the reason I pummelled him, was because he messed with me,' he told her coolly. 'More specifically – he messed with the people that _I_ care about.'

El blinked, slightly startled. 'Well I'm sure he had a good reason- '

'He didn't. Not this time. You can trust me on that.' He said bitterly.

El shook her head, infuriated. 'Well fine! But it was still no reason to go after him. You could have killed him.'

'Believe me, if I wanted to kill him, he would already be dead.' He said exasperatedly. 'Your dad isn't dead. He's going to be fine. I just taught him a lesson. Showed him why he shouldn't mess with me again.' He folded his arms over his chest, his gaze penetrating her to the core. 'And will you please stop changing the subject. Just admit it El. You're like me.' He shrugged nonchalantly. 'It's nothing to be ashamed of.'

 _This conversation is fucking impossible_ , she thought furiously. She glared daggers at him. 'No - _Mike_.' She hissed. 'I. Am _not_. Like you. And do you know why?' She daringly stepped closer to him as she spoke. 'Because unlike you – I haven't lost my humanity. I don't _hurt_ people.'

His face was a mask of boredom, but something flashed in his eyes. 'I do what I can to survive,' he snapped.

'So, do I.' El retorted. 'Just not by hurting people!'

'I don't have a choice.'

'We _all_ have a choice. You didn't have to be this way. I didn't have to be what I am now, but do you know why I am?' She breathed steadily. What she was going to say next will either be a triumphant moment for her, or her biggest regret. She tried not think about the latter.

'Unlike you, I wasn't born hating people. I don't live my life trying to cope with pain, by _inflicting_ pain on others.' She laughed coldly. 'I thought you were different somehow.' She shrugged. 'But I was stupid to think that. Because our choices define who we are, and your choices define you. Every person you hurt, every crime you committed – that was all _you._ Those were your choices, and you're going to have to live with them. Honestly? I feel sorry for you.'

'Shut the hell up.' He growled, his stance stiff with fury. She was getting to him. El was surprised and pleased about that. It encouraged her to continue, to finish what she had started. She couldn't help but notice at the edge of her vision, the tell-tale bulge at his crotch. She trembled slightly and did her best to ignore it.

'You have no goddamn humanity. _'_ She clenched her fists as she approached him, glaring at him dead in the eyes. He was standing stiffly, his expression livid as he bore holes into her with his empty gaze.

'You're a pathetic, cowardly, son of a _bitch_. If you really think that _that's_ the way to live your life, you deserve to rot in hell.'

There was silence. All she could hear was the sound of her rapid breathing, and the crashing downpour of rain. But when she finally looked in his eyes again, her heart stopped. He was staring at her – in shock. He blinked at her, as if confused, and a split-second later his expression quickly changed to hurt - and then to pure anger. He was practically smouldering with rage. She stiffened, looking up at him nervously. Waiting for him to say something.

His eyes were narrowed and had somehow become even more dangerous. His gaze burned into her, and he gritted his teeth as he spoke to her in a dead monotone voice. 'Say that again, princess. I fucking dare you.'

She opened her mouth to say it again but was caught off guard by the intense look in his eyes. She suddenly found herself caught up in that addictive gaze of his. His eyes were burning into her, but it wasn't anger that was in them.

El was no longer aware of the fact that she was practically soaked to the skin. Despite her infuriation with him, she couldn't look away from him. Like she was under a spell. Her breathing became heavier. As he stared at her, she let her eyes travel over his body, taking in the toned and muscled physique of it all. She took in the tattoos on his chest and arms. Droplets of rain ran down his skin, down the length of his abdomen.

El felt a spidery sensation crawl up her back when she met his eyes again. His pupils were completely blown as he slowly flicked his eyes over her form. The air was charged with electricity as she held her gaze with him. The tension was pslpable. She felt his gaze everywhere, penetrating her and making her feel hot all over. Wetness pooled in her core, and she found herself completely breathless.

 _No_. No, she couldn't let this happen again. She couldn't let this – this – whatever it was between them, distract her. Not again.

So, with as much effort as she could put in, she lifted her chin slightly, and penetrated him with an icy look. His eyes widened slightly as she spoke coldly to him, 'You. Are nothing, but a fucking pathetic, cowardly, son of a bitch, and you deserve to ro- '

There was a sharp blur as he suddenly moved towards her and the wind was knocked out of her as she suddenly found herself being backed up against the wall. She gasped as she hit against it, before she suddenly felt his lips meet hers.

She was frozen in shock, her mind trying to catch up with what was happening. His lips crushed hers, strong and warm. He gripped her face, brushing his thumbs in a somewhat tender manner over her cheekbones as he kissed her and making her shiver, his warm body pressing against hers.

His lips left hers slowly, and she breathlessly opened her eyes, immediately meeting his dark brown ones. He was gazing at her in a way that she had always wanted to be looked at - tender and caring. He traced his thumb over her lips and she closed her eyes, savouring his touch. Even so she felt unbelievably terrified at that moment.

'You have no idea how long I wanted to that,' he whispered, his thumbs tracing circles on her cheeks. She swallowed, shivering uncontrollably. She had no idea whether it was from the cold or from her fear. Despite herself, she couldn't help but reach up towards him, trembling slightly as she touched his face. He sighed, and closed his eyes, leaning into her hand a little.

He leaned closer, his forehead brushing against hers. El was sure she had forgotten how to breath entirely as he pressed his lips against hers again. And as he did so, she couldn't help but let herself slowly and completely melt. She suddenly couldn't concentrate on anything except him. Her mind was running marathons. She wanted him to keep going. She just wanted more of it. She wanted more of him.

So, she relaxed, and she gave in to his touch, his taste. She kissed him back, opening her mouth slightly. She felt him smirk against her mouth and pressed himself even further onto hers, to the point where she could feel every ridge of him and his kiss seemed to become more fervent. The rain pelted down on the two of them, but all she could concentrate on was the taste of him, as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, their lips meeting again and again. She could taste the rain, from both her lips and his. She never wanted this to stop, never wanted his lips to leave hers.

As their kiss became more intense, he let go of her face, only to grab her by the back of her thighs and quickly hoist her up against the wall. She broke apart from him, staring at him in shock before pulling him towards him again. This forced her to wrap her legs around his middle, pulling him closer as he maintained his hold on her by gripping her thighs, running his hand up and down her denims. The feel his erection made her instinctively wish she had the power to make their clothes disappear.

His lips left hers and pressed his lips against her skin, slowly moving from her jawline down her neck. Her hand moved from his chest to grip his bicep. She barely felt the rain anymore, only feeling him, feeling him kiss her neck, and feeling their bodies pressed up so close together she wasn't sure where she started or ended anymore.

His teeth nipped the area where her neck met her shoulder, and her hand knotting tightly through his soaking wet hair. Wanting to feel his lips on her again she tugged at his hair, pulling him up to connect their lips again. She her hands through wet hair and held his face gently, feeling his hard jawline and cheekbones. There was nothing that could stop them, nothing that could ruin this moment for either of them. She was floating through the air, up and up towards heaven. For those few minutes, everything was bright and beautiful. She was in utter bliss.

He murmured something that sounded like her name – and immediately she crashed back down on earth. Reality came rushing back to her. She was the she was soaked to the skin, never mind his warm body. For a moment she was frozen in horror. She pulled back slightly, but he didn't seem to notice, instead continuing his ministrations on her jaw.

'Mike.' She managed to get out, gasping slightly. 'We need to stop.'

He ignored, sucking on her earlobe. She had to put a stop to this. This had gone on long enough.

Something rushed through her and she felt a roaring in her ears. 'I said _STOP!'_ A bolt of energy rushed through her and immediately, Mike was pushed back by an invisible force, like she had electrocuted him, and El landed back on the ground.

She gripped the wall behind her as he stumbled back against the wall opposite her. His expression a mixture of confusion, shock and of course, lust as he stared at her. He was panting. She could still feel the pressure of his lips against hers, the warmth of his body, the feel of his hands gripping her buttocks. Rain poured down on them as they stared at one another.

El took a shuddering breath, her chest rising up and down as she tried to slow her breathing. Her mind was frozen, and she couldn't fully grasp what had just happened. She couldn't stop shaking. She had – she had – he had just seen her-

'El.' He said quietly, almost gently. His voice was low and husky, as he slowly took a step towards her.

El didn't stick around to listen to what he had to say. She didn't hesitate as she took off.

She was only just about registering the fact that she was going back to the house. Her feet slammed into puddles as she ran, water soaking her even more, but she barely noticed. After a few minutes, when her legs were burning, and a stitch was forming in her abdomen, she was forced to stop. She halted outside a bus shelter, where she sat down for the next few minutes. She had no idea whether to scream, break something or cry. The exhilaration she had felt earlier was completely gone as she stared numbly as the pavement, the only light a nearby street lamp.

He had kissed her. She just couldn't comprehend what had just happened, it felt more like dream than an actual reality. The most dangerous man in Hawkins, the leader – at least one of the leaders – of the Goddamn _Shadow Hydras!_ He had kissed her, and worst of all - she kissed him back.

Oh, who was she kidding! It was a fucking make-out session for God's sake! And El had liked it. She blinked at the obviousness of that thought. She had more than liked it. She liked it enough that she had encouraged him on. She put her head in her hands in frustration. Who knew how much further they would have gotten if El hadn't put a stop to it.

And he had seen – her eyes flew open. Oh shit. Shit, shit, _shit_! He had seen her. Oh God help her. He fucking saw her do – _that._ She clenched her fists tightly, and she shook hard. He knows. Oh God, he knows.

She breathed hard, her infuriation rising. ' _Fuck!'_ She screamed banging her fists against the glass panels of the bus shelter. She gazed at her dim reflection in the wet glass in frustration. She covered her head with her hands, 'Fuck,' she whimpered.

* * *

By the time she got the house, which took about forty minutes by fast walking, it was well past half ten. El reluctantly made her way down her street. No point in delaying it, by not turning up at all. She knew that whatever _she_ had in store for her, there was no escaping it. She was going to face it head on. At least she wouldn't have to deal with the elephant in the room for a little while.

Which was why she was astonished to find the driveway empty. The entire house was dark, with no sign of life anywhere. If Diane wasn't home, that meant she was at the hospital. Perhaps the hospital and let her stay later than usual. Which meant something may have happened.

El shook off that thought. In any case, she couldn't waste any more time. She could be home any minute. El just got lucky this time. She sighed with relief as she made her way around the back of the house and let herself in the back door. She quickly strode into the hallway, intending to go down into the basement.

'Where have _you_ been?'

El whirled around, her heart going at a hundred miles per hour. Sara stood at the bottom of the stairs, noisily chewing gum and standing with her arms folded. Her golden hair was done up in a French plait. She glared down at her.

'Um, nowhere.' El swallowed. 'Just studying. With a friend.'

'You don't have friends, Jane.' She sneered. 'That's just one of the sad parts about being you.' Her nose wrinkled. 'God you're drenched as well! You look like a wet dog.'

El just rolled her eyes. Sara's insults didn't affect her any more than Stacy's did. El simply turned her back on her and continued to the door of the basement.

'You know I can tell Mom.' El half turned to face her. Sara smirked as she walked towards her. 'You're not allowed to come home after ten.'

'I don't care anymore Sara.' El said in a bored tone. 'It doesn't make a difference whether you tell her or not. She's still gonna find a reason to punish me. We both know that she hates me.' She stopped and looked back over at Sara. She was staring at her, looking slightly shocked. 'You really care that little?' She said in astonishment.

Like her father, Sara was shielded from what Diane was really like with El. In a way, it made her glad. At least she couldn't see that her mother was a monster.

'Don't act so surprised. I'm well used to your Mom's attitude towards me.' With that, El walked away.

'Where were you tonight?' Sara called out to her. 'Where were you really?'

El didn't respond, instead shutting the basement door behind her and descending the stairs to her draughty bedroom. She didn't bother brushing her teeth, or get undressed, instead just flopping on her bed, still soaking wet. Maybe she'd die of pneumonia tomorrow. Hopefully. Her life was too fucked up now. As she stared up at the ceiling, one thought raced through her head. As much as she hated it, she had no choice. It had gotten way too out of control now.

From now on, she has to stay away from him. It wasn't a joke anymore.

* * *

Mike ran a hand through his hair as he took off his helmet. He had just parked outside his trailer. His mind was running laps, and he couldn't concentrate on anything, except on the thought that he wanted to get to bed and not get out. Tonight, had been – eventful. To say the least. As he approached his front door, he spied someone sitting on a fold up chair on his porch. Mike raised his eyebrows. 'May I ask why you're sitting here on my porch at-,' he checked his watch, 'Four minutes past eleven?'

Will sat there with his arms folded and a half-smirk playing on his lips. Despite that, there was something else in his eyes. Concern.

'I saw something interesting this evening.' Will remarked casually.

'Oh yeah.'

'Yeah. After I won a lot of money at the fight tonight, thanks to you, I saw a high school girl pummel you. _You –_ the great and powerful Mike of Westside. And _man_ , she looked angry. You then drag her outside to sort out whatever little dispute you had with her, of course she goes unwillingly. At this point, I'm thinking, how the _hell,_ did my bro get in involved with a teenager from the up-side of the town. I just think, wow man she must have been pretty unsatisfied with whatever you gave her, for her to attack you like that. And in public! That, my friend, takes guts.'

'Then I decide to go outside to see what's keeping you, and I see you in a heavy make out sesh, with that same girl, _in the rain as well,_ and who seemed to be pretty into it, judging from her enthusiastic response.'

'Then later I think, _hey, this girl looks familiar. Have I seen her before?_ So, I start racking my brain, trying to remember where _exactly_ I saw her. And then it hits me. I remember the night we ran into another girl, and who stood up for herself when you threatened her. Well you were mostly hitting on her, in your typical Mike fashion. That girl definitely had fire.' Will paused, gazing at Mike. 'That girl tonight was that same girl.'

Mike arched an eyebrow. 'Your point Byers?'

'I also learned that night who she was. A fact like _that_ was hard to forget.' Will said steadily. 'She's the chief's daughter.'

'Ding, ding, ding!' Mike said dryly, waving his hands sarcastically in the air. 'As if I don't know that.'

'Stop playing around Mike. This is serious.'

'Byers, do I look like someone who plays around?' He glared at him.

'Mike,' Will growled, his eyes flashing as he stood up from his chair. 'You can't do this.'

'Do what?'

'Start seeing her. Getting involved with the chief's daughter of all people? It's the last thing we need right now.'

'Yeah, you think I don't know that!' Mike fumed, marching up to him. 'Will I know. Jesus I- '. He stopped, running his hands over his face in frustration. 'Look man, I don't know what's wrong with me,' he snapped. 'It's just – look I- I, I don't know how to explain it.'

'Try Mike,' Will walked up to him. 'Just help me out here? Help me to understand.'

' _I don't know!_ I just - all I know is that I can't stop thinking about her. There's just something about her. She's not like any girl I've ever met before. She just drives me crazy, man. I- ', he started pacing the porch.

Will stared at him, his eyes narrowed. In all his years of knowing Mike, he had never seen him get this worked up before.

'You're not – are you… you're not – do you have feelings for her?'

'What?' Mike snarled whipping his head up to look at him. 'Byers, I barely know her.'

He shrugged. 'Doesn't make a difference.'

Mike stopped pacing the porch, instead turning to face the trailer park. 'No Will. _I don't._ I can't be, I-. Look I have it under control. Everything is under control.'

'Is it?' Will's eyes blazed. 'Mike, you need to get a hold of yourself. You're risking _everything_ here.'

Mike broke off abruptly. 'I just – _FUCK!'_ Without warning he furiously threw a punch at his doorway, and then a hard kick, frustration boiling inside of him. He continued attacking his doorway, taking out all his anger on it.

'Mike.' Will said calmly. 'Just calm down, man.'

'I can't Byers!' Mike snapped, whirling to face him. 'Guess why? Because I have royally fucked up, and I don't know what to do about it! She makes me so mad, and _I_ make _her_ mad. She fucking hates me. And I don't blame her, she should. I'd hate me. But her dad fucking ignores her, she pretty much said so herself. I care about her – I want to help her! I just don't know how to figure her out.' Mike breathed hard, running his hand through his messy hair. Messy from _her_ hands. The memory of her hands knotted tightly in them as she drew his face closer to hers made him shiver.

Will studied him, sighed reluctantly – then nodded. 'I'll help you out.'

Mike narrowed his eyes in confusion as he scowled darkly. 'You will?'

'Yeah, I mean – after what you did? For me – for my mom.' Will shrugged. 'I owe you man.'

Mike stared at him, then nodded. Will paced the ground. 'Just - talk to her. Talk it out, sort it out with her. Can you do that?'

Mike shoved his hands in his pockets, breathing heavily through his nose. He cared about El. He really did. He wanted to address this thing between them, talk it out somehow. Except there was one problem. Mike was never good at the whole 'talking it out'. He couldn't talk about anything without losing his temper.

But he had to try. Mike nodded. 'I'll try.'


	7. Chapter 7

**I know, I know, I know. It's been too long.**

 **I apologise for yet another long wait guys** **. I'll try not to do it so often. But I just want to say that all of your support has been absolutely phenomenal, and I am eternally grateful to all of you. Thanks to you, I have more confidence in my writing every day.**

 **Also, you guys! Have you seen the images for 'Captain Marvel'? Holy crap, like, I'm SO excited for that movie.**

 **And before I forget, I gotta ask ye all. Have any of you ever read the 'A Court of Thorns and Roses' series? Because OH MY FUCKING GOD, they are so freaking unreal! I can't get over it, I just can't like! This has to be my favourite book series of ALL TIME! And I've only read the first two books! Seriously, they surpass 'Chaos Walking', which by the way is a fantastic series (I'm SO excited for the movie. Daisy Ridley and Tom Holland, lads!)**

 **But seriously, if you have not read the 'A Court of Thorns and Roses' series, I suggest you go online or to the library and get yourself a copy. RIGHT NOW! I am just so fucking obsessed with that series! I just absolutely love the second book, 'A Court of Mist and Fury'. It has to be my favourite book now! OMFG Feysand! They are like - I have no words to describe how much I love those two! Feyre and Rhysand are my OTP! And EEEEE! The Inner Circle! I love them so much!**

 **Also Tamlin? WTF man? I hate you so much right now. Sarah J. Maas I love yooouuu!**

 **So please if any of you have read that series, please tell me in the comments. None of my friends have read it and I need someone to fangirl the shit out! But no spoilers for A Court of Wings and Ruin please. Haven't got that far yet.  
But anyways, here's another chapter my lovelies! Xxx**

* * *

She was surrounded by water - harsh, raging, and freezing cold. She clawed at the water, desperately trying to swim up, and get to the surface, screaming helplessly as the black chaos slowly overcame her. Her eyes couldn't see through the blackness, she was utterly blind to her surroundings, her clothes weighing her down as she sank deeper and deeper into the abyss. Her lungs were exploding and burning, her heart speed going at an impossible rate. There was no way out of this, no way to save herself. There was no one there to help her, she was alone, she was going to _die_ alone…

El woke with a gasp. Darkness met her eyes and she breathed heavily, sitting up with sweat trickling down her skin. Before her mind could register anything, her stomach heaved, and bile rose into her mouth. She stumbled out of bed and barely made it to the toilet before she threw up. She clutched the toilet seat, holding her hair back in a ponytail with her other hand as she puked. Shuddering in revulsion as she did so. She shivered as the waves passed out of her body, bit by bit. She hadn't had a nightmare like that in – God knows how long.

She steadied her breathing, slowing her heart rate as best as he could, her head reeling as she tried to focus her sight. The sour taste lingering in her mouth. She was extremely dizzy, and a headache was now splitting through her. She forced herself up and made her way to the sink. Gulping down tap water, El stared groggily at herself in the mirror. A pale, thin, tired looking face stared back.

It was around seven am, according to her watch, on Sunday morning. The morning after – Saturday night. That night.

El gripped the edges of the sink even tighter as memories flooded through her brain, and she shivered despite herself. The party… the fight… the kiss…

The kiss.

El's eyes widened, and she immediately grabbed at her sweater, pulling the collar away from her skin so she could examine her neck. She took a sharp intake of breath. It was just as she had feared. She stood there frozen as she gaped at the purple bruise in the crook of her neck. A bruise that _prick_ had put there. 'For fuck's sake,' she hissed, panic rising in her. If – if Diane ever saw that… El refused to think about what she might do to her if that ever did occur.

Swallowing nervously, she covered up the bruise again. She couldn't let anyone see it. Not even Max. She could just imagine her friend's face when she saw it, more specifically her look of horror when she learns who had done it.

Knowing that she wasn't going to get back to sleep anytime soon, she decided to just get dressed and begin her chores. El made her way back to her room and got dressed. She grabbed a turtleneck jumper, not wanting to risk anyone seeing that stupid hickey. God damn that asshole.

Her eyes widened when another memory struck her. She froze in the middle of pulling on her top and she nearly stumbled backwards, hand holding her mouth. Another feeling of nausea rose in her body.

She – she had pushed him away. With – with-

She clutched the wall of her wardrobe, shivering violently, despair filling up inside of her. He knew. Even after all the lengths she had gone to hide it, he knew about it now. The fucking last person that she'd ever thought would come into her life. They both knew she wasn't strong enough to shove him off like that. Oh god. Oh-

El didn't finish her thoughts as she ran back into the bathroom, barely making it on time before throwing up in the toilet again.

* * *

For the rest of that morning, El busied herself with her daily chores, distracting herself as best as she could, but all the while, feeling distinctly aware of – _that_ on her neck. She had breakfast ready at half nine, which was Diane's usual getting up time at the weekend. But to her dismay, she didn't get up until two hours later, and by then all the food had gone cold. El saw the satisfied smirk on Diane's face when she finally came down, and she immediately knew that she had done it deliberately. So, El was forced to throw away all the wasted food and start from scratch, much to her bitterness. Sara of course, came down at around noon.

As she was mopping up the floor in the hallway, she heard Diane speak to Sara. 'I'm going to visit your dad again this afternoon, honey. Do you want to come?'

'No, thanks Mom.' El heard Sara say. 'Hospitals creep me out. Did they catch the thugs who did this to him?' She stilled her mopping, eavesdropping.

'No.' Diane replied coldly. 'But I can assure you that I will bring those people down. No one gets away with this. No one. Those monsters will be brought to justice, I can assure you.' She paused. 'You're sure you told all your friends that he was in a car accident?'

'Yes, and I even went to the teachers and informed them. They now have another reason to go easy on me,' Sara said in a smug voice, and El wanted to slap her for that.

'Good.' Diane said. 'Because we can't let this get out, you understand, honey? Even the mayor isn't aware of this, so it's best to keep it quiet, just until we know what's going to happen next.'

Just then, the doorbell rang, followed by a loud knock at the door. A very loud and impatient knocking.

'What on earth!?' Diane hurried into the hallway, looking at El distastefully. 'You. Get out of my sight. Now.' El hurriedly did as she was told, trying not to slip as she went into the kitchen. Sara was sitting there tapping away at her phone and paying no heed to El. El went to put the mop away but stopped when she heard the voices at the doorway. Immediately stiffening when she heard a familiar voice addressing her stepmother.

'Hi, I'm so sorry to bother you. I'm Maxine Mayfield, Jane's friend. I was just wondering if she's home, by any chance?'

Sara looked up from her phone, and gaped at El, looking back and forth at her and the hallway with interest. El's muscles were stiff as she tried to take in what was happening. _Max. Max is here. What the actual hell is Max do-_

And then she remembered. How Max was supposed to drive her home afterwards. How El had disappeared from the group without a word to anyone. How she had walked home without letting any of them know. _Oh. My. God. How could I have been so stupid!_ El raged at herself.

'Jane's friend, I see.' El gritted her teeth at Diane's feigned politeness. 'And why may I ask would you like to see her at this hour? I'm afraid we were just starting lunch, so it is quite a surprise to see someone at our doorstep.'

That fucking bitch. That woman was such a pathological liar. Lying through her teeth just to make people feel bad. So, so typical.

'Oh, I apologise for that.' Max said hurriedly. 'You see, I just wanted to ask Jane a homework question. I'm not the greatest at maths, you see, and she's been helping me out a little. She's really smart, but I'm sure you know that.' She giggled nervously.

'Oh indeed? And you waited until Sunday to ask her this? I must say that's not very organised. You should have asked her on Friday. And Jane is very busy at the moment, dear.'

'Well can I at least see her, Mrs Hopper? I won't be two minutes, I promise.'

Diane paused. El waited for her response, holding her breath. 'Well, I suppose.' Diane eventually said reluctantly. 'Just make it quick dear.' Diane raised her voice. 'Jane! Come here please!'

Leaving the mop in the cupboard, El made her way to the hallway. There was Max standing in the doorway, grinning at her as El moved towards them, but she also had a slightly worried look on her face. And there was Diane, giving her a fake smile. 'Your classmate Maxine here wants to ask you a homework question.' She turned back to Max. 'Ask away dear. Don't mind me.'

Diane made no indication that she'd move when El approached her friend. Max smiled widely, 'Hey Jane, I was wondering about that question we learned about last week. The one that we're getting a test on next week. Did you understand it? I would love it if you explained it to me again _really_ quickly.'

'Sure.' El agreed. Knowing that she had to make Diane disappear, she began a long-winded explanation of a complicated sum. Max was nodding, pretending she knew what she was talking about. Eventually after a few minutes, Diane grew bored and left them to it.

As soon as she disappeared into the kitchen, Max dropped her voice into a low whisper. 'Shit, how do you stand her? Who does she think she is, the Queen of England?'

El giggled, but softly, and continued her explanation of the sum in a loud voice, in case Diane was still listening.

'Good thinking.' Max whispered. Then said in a loud voice. 'Repeat that part again?' Then said in a low hiss. 'Where the hell were you, last night!? We were looking for you everywhere, I thought someone had kidnapped you!' She looked incredibly frustrated.

'I'm sorry.' El whispered, feeling agonized. 'I wasn't feeling well so I decided to walk home and – I forgot to let you know.' Then she continued with her long-winded explanation.

'You forgot to tell me?!' Max hissed, infuriated. 'You just disappeared in the fight arena! There could have been anyone in there. I thought someone had kidnapped you and- ', she broke off shaking her head. 'How could you do that? You had me worried sick!'

'I'm so sorry Max.' El whispered. 'I didn't mean to worry you. Please don't be mad.'

Max sighed. 'I want to throttle you for scaring the shit out of me – and the rest of the gang. But – okay.' She shrugged. 'I forgive you – just please, _please,_ do not do that to me again.'

'I promise.' El whispered. Then said in a loud voice. 'So now do you get it Max?'

'I think so.' Max said loudly, grinning at her. Then whispered, 'I asked the neighbours for directions, by the way, in case your stepmom is wondering.'

'Right,' El nodded. Max then said in a raised voice. 'Thanks, so much Jane. I totally get it now. Silly me! I'll see you tomorrow then.' She moved away from the doorway.

'It's no problem. Any time Max. Bye.' El smiled at her friend before shutting the door. Immediately Diane was upon her.

'How the hell did she know you lived here!?'

El gulped under her gaze, shrinking away slightly. 'She-she asked for directions from the neighbours.'

'Don't lie to me!' She hissed, glaring at her. She was keeping her voice quiet, aware of the fact that Sara was in the next room not ten yards away. 'How dare you give her our address! It's not your damn place! And why would she want to be friends with you anyway? You're a pathetic little brat, you don't deserve _anything_.'

El felt frustration rise in her, which was surprising as usually, that part of her emotions would stay quiet during a confrontation like this. 'Well, she's my friend,' she protested. 'And she likes me for who I am.'

Diane's eyes widened, and grabbed hold of her arm, nails digging into the skin as she twisted it roughly. El hissed at the sharp pain, biting her lip as she tried to pull herself out of her grip.

'Don't you dare speak to me in that tone of voice, young lady! You're a bit too cheeky for your own good.' She gripped her arm harder, and El tried not to squeak. 'No one loves you, no one cares about you - and no one _ever_ will. Get that inside your thick head, will you. If it had been up to me, we would have sent you to an orphanage the first chance we got.' She finally released her arm, glaring at her. 'And take that pus off your face, you ungrateful little bastard. Finish mopping the hallway this instant. The floor is _filthy.'_ With that, she turned and marched off.

El had already mopped most of the floor, and it wasn't one bit dirty. She clenched her fists, ignoring the surge of anger and hatred inside of her. Although she tried to shut it out, her arm was stinging quite badly. When she looked down, she noticed a small wet patch forming in the dark material.

She would have to deal with that later. For now, she had to finish her chores.

* * *

'But seriously, how do you stand her El? She's a fucking nightmare. She's like - I don't know – she reminded me of that witch lady from _Tangled.'_

El shrugged as they walked to her locker. It was just after lunchtime at school, and they were currently going to exchange her books. El had done her best that day, to forget about that fateful weekend, which was easier said than done. 'You get used to it after a while. And by the way, your locker is _that_ way.'

Max shrugged. 'I know, but you know me El. I'm like Quicksilver, I get from place to place in no time at all. I'm serious!'

El snorted, as she exchanged her books. 'Yeah, sure.'

Just then a voice interrupted them. 'Hi, excuse me, I was wondering if you could tell me where the Art room is?'

El turned from her locker to see a boy standing before them, smiling politely. He looked to be around their age, but she had never seen him before. The first thing that struck her about him, was his handsome, relaxed face. He wasn't hot like Troy and his gang, but he was surprisingly good-looking.

'Yeah sure,' Max said. 'It's on the first floor, just across from Science Lab 1 and 2. You know where I mean?'

'Um, yeah, I do. Thanks. Sorry, I mean – I just moved here this week, so I'm still trying to figure out where everything is. New school, you know?' He shrugged helplessly.

'Where did you move from?' El asked, curiously, surprising herself. She usually always stayed quiet, she never talked to people unless they talked to her – let alone strangers. But there was something about him that she liked. Maybe it was his open friendliness, maybe it was the fact that he was actually kinda cute, what with his floppy dark brown hair, and handsome, chiselled face.

'New York.' He answered. 'My mom – she wanted a fresh start from that place. So, she figured, we'd go back to where she grew up. Which is this town.'

'Do you like it here? So far I mean.' She pressed. Max raised her eyebrows at her in surprise. He shrugged. 'It's okay. It's not New York but - I'll get used to it.' He studied them. 'What year are you in?'

'Junior Year.' Max answered. The boy smiled. 'Awesome – same. I'm thinking of trying out for the football team here. I played at my old school. Is the team any good?'

El nodded, even as she felt her insides plummet. He was a jock. Of course, he was jock, why wouldn't be. He was good-looking enough and he certainly seemed to be the sporty type.

'My name's Josh by the way. Josh Schubert.' He grinned at them again, and even though El knew that he would soon be joining Troy's gang, she relaxed and smiled back politely. He kept sliding his eyes over to El, smiling widely as he did so. They held eye contact for a moment and El noticed that his eyes were a light hazel brown colour. She looked away quickly.

'Well pleased to meet you, Josh.' Max stepped forward, holding her hand out for him to shake. 'Name's Max. Max Mayfield. And this here is my good friend and emotional support figure, Jane Hopper.

'Pleased to meet you Max,' Josh smirked as he shook her hand. He looked towards El, and smiled, a dimple showing on his cheek. 'Pleased to meet you Jane.' He said in a softer voice, holding eye contact with her. El shook his hand, infuriated to find a blush rising to her face. His hand was warm, calloused and hard against her own hand.

'It's nice to meet you too.' El said politely, smiling shyly. He grinned easily, moving his eyes over her face. Her heart beat faster as he did so, butterflies flapping around in her stomach.

'Well I _hate_ to interrupt anything, but in case you haven't noticed, we're the only ones left in the hallway.' Max announced. El blinked and looked around. Sure enough, Max was right. They were the only people left in the hallway, everyone else having gone to class. _Oh for God's sake._

'Oh shit!' Josh exclaimed. He started moving backwards, still facing them he continued. 'I have to go. Nice to meet you Max. I'll – um see you around, Jane.' He held eye contact with her for another moment, smiling at her, before rushing off.

'Oh. My. God.' Max said slowly.

'What?' El said impatiently, shoving her books in her bag as quickly as possible.

'You _like_ him! Oh, my fucking god, _you like him_!'

'Shhh! Are you insane?' El hissed, looking around her nervously.

'You do! Oh my god, you two were exchanging lovey-dovey looks! A person would have to be blind not to see that!'

'No, we weren't! Max please shut up, I don't even _know_ him.'

'Oh, come on! Are you seriously denying the eye-popping chemistry between the two of you?'

'Max, I will see you later. Goodbye now.' El said firmly through gritted teeth, before hurrying down the corridor. Great. She's late for class. But even as she hurried down the hallway, she couldn't stop herself from blushing as she thought about Josh, and the way his eyes had held hers. Nor could she ignore Max yelling after her.

'You're totally falling for the new boy! That's my girl!'

* * *

'Another school day – _finished!'_ Max whooped. They were walking out of the school building together, arms linked. El smiling and ignoring the shooting pains in her arm from the injury she received the day before.

'Are you sure you can't come to Benny's?' Max pouted.

'Sorry, Max. I need to get that English assignment done, so I have no choice in the matter. We're doing _Macbeth,_ which despite all the murders, is as boring as it sounds _._ ' Despite El's interest in theatre, she never really clicked with Shakespeare plays. 'Plus, the essay is going towards our end of year grade. So even though it isn't due until the end of the week, I still need to make a start on it tonight.'

'Ugh, fuck you Shakespeare!' Max held her middle finger up at the sky, scowling. El burst out laughing. It seemed there was never a dull moment when she was with Max.

'I'll see you tomorrow.' El unlinked their arms and waved as she walked away.

'Try not to die of boredom, will you? I have only just found thou, Jane Hopper. I can't lose thee too, forever more.' Max said dramatically in a comical attempt at a Shakespearean accent, with one hand on her heart, and the other reached towards El, her face filled with mock agony.

El doubled over as she chortled, her hand clutching her mouth. Max gave a mock bow, winking, before striding away.

El shook her head in amusement. Yes, Max was definitely on of a kind. She was still smiling when she walked out of the parking lot. She noticed a car was parked just across the road, with a figure leaning against it.

El frowned as she neared the car. It was unfamiliar, but its occupant...

He was casually leaning against the car, smoking a cigarette. He had brown hair swept off his face, and he wore a black leather jacket. Even though he was wearing sunglasses, El knew that he was watching her. There was something vaguely familiar about him, but she couldn't put her finger on it. As she stared at him, it clicked. She had never spoken to him in her life, but she remembered him. He was there on that rainy night when she first met _him,_ then again at the races. He had dragged Mike away just as the cops had come swarming in. Her dad. Which meant he was there when-

The guy moved from his leaning position on his car as she walked closer. She badly wanted to ignore him and continue going the other direction, but – now that he's seen her. 'Jane Hopper?', he asked, staring at her. El sighed, squaring her shoulders as she crossed the road, looking left and right as she did so. Man, couldn't these gang members just leave her alone?

El approached him carefully. He was surprisingly a relatively small height, closer to El's size than - well, his comrades.

El straightened her shoulders as she halted before him. 'Who's asking?'

He strode over to her, taking off his sunglasses. 'We haven't met yet. Name's Will. Will Byers.' He held out his hand. El reluctantly took it and shook it politely, not looking up at him. She looked around herself nervously, afraid someone would spot them.

Will took a deep breath. 'Listen. I was wondering if we could talk. I can give you a ride, take you home if you want. I just need – you probably need an explanation. For all the shit that's happened, I mean.'

El studied him. Did he know about – did _he_ tell him about she did? The fear festered inside of her, but she pushed it aside. She looked up at him coldly. Will looked taken aback.

'Um, no thanks. If Mike wants to talk to me, he should come here and do it himself,' she retorted stubbornly, scowling up at him. He had a boyish look about him, his large green eyes adding a sense of youth to his features.

He sighed. 'Look, I just need to explain something to you – well everything to be honest and - and Mike – he's not the best person to do that. He's never been good at – talking it out if you get what I mean.'

El snorted, adding bitterly. 'Understatement of the year. I don't want anything to do with him anymore, so you can just tell him to go screw himself.'

'Look it's none of my business, but – I know you two have a complicated relationship.' El looked sharply at him. Will held up his hands. 'There is no relationship of _any_ kind between myself and Mike.' She snapped. 'I don't even _know_ the guy! You honestly expect me to forgive him after-.' She stopped herself, looking away.

'Look, I get that you're mad. _I'd_ be mad too if I was in your place. But believe me – I can explain everything. He-he doesn't just do things – just because he can, you know.' Will said desperately. 'He had a reason. We all did. And I know it was fucked up what we did, and I'm sorry. On behalf of everyone, I'm sorry.' He looked at her so sincerely, El was surprised. 'It is your dad, so you deserve an explanation. Just… please. Hear me out. Just listen to what I have to say, and then you can decide whether or not you want to see him anymore. It's entirely up to you.' He looked at her pleadingly. 'Just get in. Please.'

El rolled her eyes. What was her life turning into now? But she sighed - and nodded slightly. 'Okay.' A look of relief passed over his expression before continuing to maintain the seriousness that El was sure was permanently part of his face. He opened the passenger door for her and El slid in. He got in the driver's seat and revved up, driving off.

Unbeknownst to either of them, a figure peeking from behind another car watched as El got in the stranger's car. She watched with interest, as they drove off. Her eyes gleaming with glee. _Now_ _that_ , she thought to herself, _is interesting_. Looks like Jane had more than a few secrets to hide.

Sara smiled as she got up from her crouching position and strode off.

* * *

There was utter silence as Will drove through the town. El made sure to keep her head down, not wanting to risk anyone seeing her. She looked over at Will and noticed the several tattoos he had inked on his hands. His clothes weren't shabby, like what most Westsiders wore, but were well made, like he had the money. His leather jacket, not the signature gang one, was expensively made. He even wore gold ear piercings.

'How long have you been in that gang?' El couldn't help asking. He looked at her sideways. 'Six years officially. Since I was fourteen, when I was first initiated.' He gripped the steering wheel, and El could tell he was a little uncomfortable with that subject.

'Was that when you first met Mike?'

Will shook his head. 'I knew Mike long before then.'

El fidgeted with her sleeve. 'So – are you a dealer?'

Will didn't look over at her, but he grimaced. 'Yeah. Every Hydra is a dealer. I try not to get involved in the heavier stuff, but…' He shrugged. 'I might not like it, but - I have no choice. It's my life now.'

After a few minutes, he pulled over at the side of the road, where the forest was just beginning. Will turned off the engine. 'I really appreciate you doing this,' he told her.

El shrugged, fidgeting with the strings of her hoodie and staring out her window at the grey tarmac below her. 'You said you'd explain everything. So, spill.'

Will looked over at her, and nodded, his shoulders sagging a little. 'The police force – your dad - have been trying to catch us for years. Never succeeding though. We've been playing this game for a long time. There's no sufficient amount of evidence to back up anyone's claims about what we do. We're a very – underground group say. There are rumours about what we do, but no one actually knows.'

'But recently, we found that some police members tried to play dirty. They hired people to buy shit off us, and report back to them. We found them out too easily though. They're not the only people who have informers on their side.' He leaned back against the seat. El continued to stare out the window as she listened. 'But these people found out enough info to get some of our names. Not the important members. But the lower ones, less important than the likes of Mike. Me included.'

'And once they had our names - they were able to access our personal info. Our addresses, our families.' Will paused, taking a sharp breath in. 'They tracked down my mom.'

El's heart stilled as she finally looked over at him. He was staring straight ahead of him. 'My mom is innocent. Yes, in her youth – she got herself involved in some things. But she's not involved in that particular lifestyle anymore. She works hard, she pays all her bills, she didn't do anything wrong. She spent the last 25 years raising me and my older brother as a single mom. Your dad and his colleagues arrested her on charges of selling drugs. They claimed they found several bags of illegal shit in her house. Except it was all bullshit. My mom has never dealt anything. The charges were feigned. They used those charges as an excuse, so they could cover up what they were really doing – interrogating her, trying to force information from her about me. And also – using her as bait to draw _me_ in.'

'No.' El whispered. His words were ringing in her ears. Cold shock gripped her as she struggled to comprehend what she was hearing. It couldn't be true. No, it couldn't, it-

'The thing is – the cops didn't know that - my mom… she didn't just raise my brother and myself.' Will took a deep steady breath. 'She raised – she raised _him,_ too.' And El knew exactly who he meant.

'It's not my place to tell you about his life, but – his dad… he's – he's not a good man. At all. He was neglected his whole life, especially by his old man. So, he mostly lived with us. My mom is - like a mother to him. And he's like my brother. We're his family.'

'But they didn't know about my mom's connection to Mike. Otherwise they would never have messed with her. They were interrogating her _and_ using her as bait, so they could kill two birds with one stone. They'd release her on the condition that I'd hand myself over, and I tell them what I know. They uncover all our connections as well as all our drug trades, and of course, most importantly find the guy at the top of the food chain. The one who calls the shots. I do all that, or my mom - goes to jail.'

El didn't know whether to throw up, cry, or scream. She stared numbly ahead of her, clenching and unclenching her fists. Her vision fading in and out. The horror of what she had just heard – no, no. No, he wouldn't. Her dad wouldn't do that, he wouldn't arrest an innocent woman, and use her to draw out a gang. He would never stoop that low! Would he?

'You're lying.' El found herself saying. 'My dad would never do that. He's a good man, he would never –. '

'You think I would lie about this?' Will demanded. 'I'm telling you the truth. Look, _I'm_ sorry that you have to hear this. I wish it were otherwise, but I promise I would never make this up.'

El shook her head, hand covering her mouth. 'No.'

'We were at the races that night, because we were setting a trap for the cops. I told your dad to come there that night, made him think that I was on my own – that I was going to let him arrest me. But - it was a trap. He fell for it too easily.' Will took a deep breath. 'I told him I was coming alone, so he came alone to meet us. His colleagues were too far away to know what was happening. We beat him up, stuffed him in a car and drove him to a remote area. Where Mike threatened to expose him, if he didn't let my mom go – or if he ever messed with her, or the people he cared about ever again.'

 _Will tried not to flinch as Mike delivered another hard blow to the bleeding chief curled up on the ground. He was pretty fucked up, his face barely recognizable to anyone who knew him. He wheezed as he suffered another kick, this time to the ribs. A sickening crack filled the air._

' _You fucking bastard.' Mike hissed. 'Is this what you do? Arrest innocent people, send them to jail if you have to? You, sick son of_ _ **bitch**_ _.' Another kick, this time to the groin._

' _If you_ _ **ever**_ _\- touch the people_ _ **I**_ _care about ever again - I will fucking kill you, got that? Damn the consequences, if you ever go after that woman again, I will fucking end you. I. Will. End. You.' Mike snarled._

' _You can't kill me.' The chief groaned. 'They'll kill you for it.' Mike stopped and pretended to ponder for a second._

' _Oh? Oh yeah. Yeah - they_ _ **might**_ _actually.' He feigned surprise. 'Maybe not. Then - how about this, Hopper? Maybe I'll just expose you first. What do you think of that, chief? I know you're not a clean slate like you pretend to be. I know…' He leaned towards him, speaking quietly, but Will heard him anyway, 'Your dirty. Little. Secret.' The chief shuddered with perhaps fear as he tried to raise his head._

 _Mike stood up again. 'I must say, your daughter would be absolutely_ _ **disgusted**_ _, if she knew.' Will, nor any of the other men, dared come any closer, as Mike smirked darkly. 'Yeah she's definitely a looker.' He licked his lips, looking visibly threatening as he sneered. 'Wonder where she got those looks in the family.'_

 _The chief choked as he hissed hoarsely. 'Stay –_ _ **away**_ _\- from my Sara.'_

 _Mike raised his eyebrows. 'Sara?' He crouched next to him. 'Ah.' He laughed emotionlessly. 'That's funny. That's real funny, Hop. Know why? Because I was in fact, referring to your other daughter. Jane was it?' The chief said nothing, still wheezing._

' _Is this some kind of game of yours?', Mike said to him. 'Where I talk about one daughter, but you talk about the other one? Just pretend that she doesn't exist for you? Wow,' he chuckled, but there was no humour in it, 'This sounds awfully confusing. Do you do this every day?'_

 _He then added dryly. 'So, when I say, 'your daughter', one would think that you think of both of them when I say that to you. But no.' Mike cocked his head at him. 'You just think of one of them. The other doesn't even cross your mind, not for one second. Interesting.'_

 _Mike stood up and walked around him. 'You know, I just hate it when parents neglect their kids. Don't you?' He kicked his spleen, not giving him time to answer. Will frowned in confusion as he continued. 'I couldn't help but notice how thin she was when I first saw her. I just thought – man, don't her parents feed her? Is she anorexic maybe? Do they even care?' Another blow to his ribcage. 'Why does the kid of one of the most well-off families in town dress like she's a fucking homeless person. Why does she look like she's scared someone is going to hurt her? Like she wants to be invisible. But –,' Mike shrugged. 'I guess you didn't notice_ _ **that**_ _either.'_

 _Hopper didn't answer. He yelled in pain as Mike kicked him in the chest. 'Answer me!'_

 _The chief spluttered weakly. 'I don't know – what – you're talking – about.'_

 _Mike's eyes blazed. 'Of course, you don't.' He shrugged, his lip curling as he glared down at him. Looked over at Will. 'Would you like to do the honours Byers?'_

' _Gladly.' Will said coldly. He had heard what Mike had said to the chief, and it made him curious. But not now. Now – he gets his revenge._

 _Will delivered as many punches and kicks as he could muster, going harder every time as he thought about his mother in that jail cell, being interrogated. He finished it off with a hard stamp on his ribs, eliciting another groan of pain, before spitting at the bloodied pulp. Glaring at the chief in disgust._

 _Will stepped back as Mike bent over and grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket. He hissed menacingly. 'What would your perfect little family do if they knew your dark secret, huh?'_

Will blinked the memory away. El stared at him, with her eyes wide 'I'm not proud of what we did, Jane. But if it means protecting my family, I would willingly do it again, and again.'

'Is – is your mom still…,' El asked cautiously, afraid of the answer.

'No. When your dad woke up, he dropped the charges on her. She's home now, safe.'

El nodded, breathing shakily. At least she was no longer in jail. That poor woman. 'You said that he was threatening to expose my dad. Expose him for what?'

Will shook his head. 'I can't tell you. You – you won't be able to handle it'

'What!?'

'I'm sorry, but I really can't tell you. It's not my place to.'

'Not your pla-!' She stopped. 'Did Mike say that to you?'

Will's silence confirmed her suspicion.

She pressed her lips together. 'Fine then. Don't tell me.' She folded her arms. 'Take me home.'

'Jane-.'

'I said take me home. I got what I wanted, so drive me home.'

'They guy cares about you! He doesn't want to admit it, but he does!'

El looked over. Will stared at her desperately. 'Please, he does. He might not show it – at least not in the way you want, but he cares. He cares about you Jane. Much more than you think.'

That hit El hard. She slumped in her seat, shocked. Was it true? Did he – did he truly care about her? She thought about the way he had beat up Troy and saved her from that rival gang at the races. She remembered how he had reacted almost violently when he saw that some of her hair had been ripped out, the damage to her scalp. All these things pointed to the obvious. That he maybe, just maybe – Will was right, and Mike actually did care about her.

No, she couldn't let herself go down that path. He was bad news, pure and simple. Her life was too fucked up for someone like him to just _show up_.

El slowly faced him in her seat. Her fists clenched into balls. 'I don't care how he feels about me. I don't care _at all_.' Her words came out in a rush, El feeling the fury build up inside of her. She didn't want anything more to do with this – with him. Not anymore.

'I never want to see him again. Trust me – I am the _last_ person he'd _ever_ want to get involved with. I don't know if I've made it clear to you yet, but I want nothing to do with the damn Hydras, or any gang whatsoever. I've fallen in deep enough already. You got that? So, you can just crawl back to your boss, and tell him that I am done. I'm fucking done! You understand me? Now take me home. Right now, or I swear to God, I'll get out of this car and walk home myself. I'll hitch a ride if I have to.'

Will was silent as he stared at her. Sadness flashing in his eyes before looking away and reluctantly starting the engine.

* * *

El was scrubbing so hard, her arms ached. It had been three days since she had received that vital information from Will. And El still couldn't believe it. She was just – overwhelmed with anger. Disappointment. Frustration. This whole time, her whole _life_ , she thought her dad was one of the good guys. Despite his attitude towards her, she genuinely thought he had a good heart. But the fact that he had arrested an innocent woman, using her against her own _son_ for his own gains _–_ El had never felt more disgusted in her life. She had no idea _how_ she would be able to look at her father in the face when he comes home.

'Shopping list!' El jumped, banging her head against the ceiling of the cupboard under the sink where she was cleaning. She gritted her teeth to prevent any pained sound from escaping her. Diane stood there, in her high stiletto heels, a fashionable body-con dress, and her ears dripping with expensive diamond earrings. A gift from Jim for their fifteenth wedding anniversary.

'We're having some friends of mine over for dinner tomorrow night. I expect you to get all the supplies for making the dinner, as well as other vitals at the supermarket when you've finished your chores this evening. Thankfully, _you_ won't be making the dinner. I will. So, I expect you to stay out of our way tomorrow night. Stay in the basement, or don't come home until ten. If they're still here when you arrive, make sure _none_ of them see you. You've embarrassed this family enough. And get up and look at me while I'm speaking to you!' El flinched, and immediately struggled to her feet.

'But – but the supermarket closes in an hour.' El stammered. She still had to clean out the freezer – _and_ do that English assignment.

Diane smiled cruelly, looking down at her in disdain. Again, El was painfully reminded of how much her stepmother towered over her. 'Well, you should hurry up then, unless you want to spend the night outside.'

That threat – had actually come true for El more times than she liked to remember. Diane _always_ kept her promises.

'Take that look off your face, young lady.' Diane seethed. 'I do everything for you. _Everything_. And when I ask you to do _one_ simple favour for me, you turn and give me that dirty look. I don't deserve to be treated like this.' Diane's voice was rising higher with every word, until El was sure that the neighbours across the street could hear her. She was glaring at her dangerously. Her Chanel perfume wafted around them.

El opened and closed her mouth. Her mind couldn't register with the absurdity of this situation, the absurdity of what she had just said. 'I-I'm sorry.' She stuttered. Diane's expression seemed to grow colder by the second. 'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that, I'm – '

Her words were cut off with a sharp slap across her face. The side of her face stung, and she automatically brought her hand up to it. She could already feel a slap mark forming.

'I will have a word with your father about your behaviour when he comes home. He certainly won't stand for it. And I won't either.' Diane shoved the shopping list in her hand, which was about a mile long. 'And _if_ you miss _anything_ on this list, you _will_ be sorry.' With that she turned and marched from the room.

El stared at her back, shaking her head in confusion. She had no idea what was going on inside that woman's head. Either she was doing this because of her hatred towards her, or she genuinely believed that El was insulting her. Either way – she hated her stepmother for it. No, scrap that. Her hatred for her went beyond anything El had ever felt before.

Looking at the long shopping list, El sighed. Looks like her English assignment would have to wait. She turned back to the cupboard and scrubbed twice as fast as she did before.

* * *

The supermarket was emptying out, what with half an hour left to go. El grabbed a trolley, inserting a coin in, before going inside. She weaved in and out of the corridors, going through the list and ticking off everything that she had put in the trolley. It was a freaking buffet that Diane was planning. Apparently, there were more than a few 'old friends' coming tomorrow night.

After about twenty minutes, El had gotten through most of the items. Scanning the list, she noticed that basil tomato sauce was still unticked. She made her way to the aisle and looked through the different brands. Diane always got the most expensive kind. She hated anything that she considered to be cheap. Looking up, El saw that the most expensive brand of Basil sauce, happened to be at the topmost shelf. And of course, she was too fucking small to reach it.

Looking around her to see if anyone could help her, she saw to her dismay that the aisle was deserted. 'Well, fuck this,' she muttered. Could her day get any worse? Eyeing, the jar she had picked out, she stretched on her tiptoes, reaching for it as far as she could. Her fingers weren't even grazing that shelf.

'C'mon,' she muttered, reaching for it as hard as she could. Fingers straining in their sockets. Almost there, almost there, almost-

'Let me get that for you.'

El nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden appearance of a larger hand than her own grabbing the jar for her – and flinched even harder when she recognised that low, husky voice. She slowly turned her head towards him.

He was standing right beside her, holding the jar in his hand, waiting for her to take it. He wasn't wearing his normal biker gear, and the jacket he was wearing was clearly not his signature one. She had seen it enough times to know. His jet-black hair was still messily slicked back and he was gazing at her with that intense look of his.

Swallowing, she looked away before she could get lost in those eyes again, and muttered, 'You again,' in a resigned tone of voice.

Mike chuckled darkly, smirking slightly. 'You're welcome, you know.' His eyes flicked over her face, and then down to her covered neck. Where he had left a mark. He raised his eyebrows. 'You embarrassed about our little encounter, sweetheart?' He drawled.

El felt her ears getting hot. _That goddamn prick!_ She glared at him coldly, grabbed the jar and put it in the trolley, before turning her back on him and continuing down the aisle.

'So that's it then?' He persisted. 'You're just gonna keep blowing me off now?'

El ignored him, but the next thing she knew he was standing in her way.

'Get out of my way Mike.'

He sighed irritably. 'Look, I don't want any trouble here. I just want to talk.'

El laughed mirthlessly. 'Well that's a funny thing, because I thought I told your friend that from now on, you're to stay the hell away from me.'

'You're not gonna get away from me that easily El.'

'Yes, I can.' She retorted. 'I'm done with you, okay? Done! Now let me through.' She attempted to move the trolley past him, but he blocked her way again.

'El, _please._ I'm serious, I need to talk to you. And – alright yes, I do want to address the-,' he sighed heavily, 'That – that _kiss_ , but-,' he sighed heavily, rubbing his neck. He pinched his brow in frustration, before looking back down at her. He bored his eyes into hers. 'We really need to talk about – well – _that.'_

El's heart pounded in her ears, panic beginning to thrum through her veins. 'I have no idea what you're talking about.' She said dismissively.

'Yes, you do!' He growled, grabbing onto the trolley, and leaning towards her. 'Jesus, El, you know _exactly_ what I'm talking about!'

El shook her head violently.

'Yes, you do.' He moved around the trolley, coming to a halt next to her. 'There's no point in denying it. Please El, I – I just want to help you.'

'Yeah right you do.' El scoffed. She shoved him away with her shoulder and continued marching away rapidly. Away from him.

But when he spoke again, she stopped. She practically lost all feeling in her limbs as she stood there, completely frozen, his words echoing in her brain. She blinked. And blinked again. And turned towards him. Her heart practically running a marathon. She was finding it hard to breathe. Because what he had just said –

'What if I told you that I've met others like you.'


	8. Chapter 8

**Right. Okay.**

 **I said I would try update more often. And I have not kept faithful to that promise. For that I am truly sorry.**

 **You probably all want an explanation.**

 **And I do as it happens, have an explanation. Obviously, I have school work and everything, but the main reason is this.**

 **At the moment, I am working on a project of mine. Specifically - I am in the middle of writing a novel. It has been an absolute passion project of mine for the past several years, and I am wholly dedicated to getting it finished. This book I'm writing, does not only involve a lot of time and thinking, but also a lot of research.**

 **And when I say research, I mean I have to go online, read old books and sources, take notes, fill up a notebook with idea, all that shit.**

 **I am entirely dedicated to getting this manuscript finished. It's very important to me, and it is very, very, very close to my heart. I am aiming to get it finished before my exams start (and before Stranger Things 3 premieres). That's how dedicated I am.**

 **So I will be delayed in getting the chapters of this fic out, but I swear to you all, despite that, I will not forget about this story. It might not be my top priority right now, but I will still continue writing it.**

 **So that's all I wanted to say. Thank you all for your patience, and unrelenting support (special shout out to FangirlingStrangerThings! Xxx)**

 **Btw, guys holy crap, the trailer for Captain Marvel. I actually can't - it looks unreal.**

 **Dark Phoenix looks amazing too! Why does Disney have to buy everything!?**

 **But enough of my rambling, here's a new chapter. Cheers X**

* * *

'I don't believe you.'

Mike wasn't surprised at her answer. Considering what he just told her, obviously she was going to feel some doubt and suspicion. After all, she didn't trust him – and he certainly couldn't blame her.

He sighed. 'Okay, look - let me just clarify something. I didn't actually _meet_ or interact with them in any way, despite what I just said. But I saw it with my own eyes, I swear to you.'

'You're lying.'

He held eye contact with her, saying in a low voice, 'Why exactly princess, would I lie about something like that?'

Her eyes were wide, her face pale with shock. She gripped the trolley as if it was the only thing that was keeping her upright. He noticed that one side of her cheek was slightly red – like someone had hit her there. He frowned, wanting to ask her about it, but she cut him off before he so much as opened his mouth.

'Maybe because you're a lying, conniving bastard who only cares about himself, and what he gains from everything?', she said, bitterness lacing her tone. 'Here's a fact, mister. _I don't trust you._ '

He sighed heavily. Man, this girl was going to be the death of him.

He refused to give up. 'I'm not lying El. I swear, you're the last person that I'd-,' he broke off, rubbing his forehead. 'Look, just let me explain everything to you. Give me ten minutes, that's all I ask of you. Nothing else.'

She paused, studying him with an emotionless look on her face. He couldn't tell what she was thinking.

'You'll tell me?'

'Yes.'

'In a space of… what was it? Ten minutes?'

'Yes, that's all I ask of you. Please.' Mike couldn't help the little bit of impatience that snuck into his tone. He couldn't remember the last time he begged someone, and he wasn't sure he liked the feeling. It was always people begging _him_ , not the other way around.

She pondered for a second, chewing her lip, before coldly answering him. 'Five.'

'What?'

'Five minutes. I'm giving you five minutes of my time, and not a second later. Got that?'

She glared at him in a way that meant business. Despite his annoyance, he couldn't help but gaze at her, a slight smirk tugging at his lips. She didn't know it, but he thought the ferocity in her expression made her look even more attractive. She was the most stubborn, unyielding and headstrong girl he had ever met. It's what attracted him in the first place. She was like fire – beautiful and untamed.

'Any chance we can move it up to seven?', he drawled.

Her look became even more poisonous. 'Do you want me to listen to you, or not. Because I happen to be on curfew here, and I'm taking a risk just staying behind for a mere two minutes. I'm giving you _five minutes_ , and nothing else. Take it or leave it.'

Mike felt frustration boil up in him, but he pushed it down. _Not_ a good idea. Five minutes were better than nothing. He gave her a lazy smirk. 'Meet me around the back Hopper in exactly two minutes.' He paused. 'Unless of course, you need help with all of this?'

'I've been doing grocery shopping since I was nine years old, asshole. I _think_ I know what I'm doing.'

Mike walked towards her. 'That's funny,' he chuckled. 'Because it seemed like you were struggling to reach that _oh-so_ - _very_ high shelf up there. Despite what you claim, I think you do need a little help. Luckily, _I_ happen to be available any time you want to call for my help. I have a busy schedule, but I'll always make time for you, sweetheart.' Smirking, he strode past her, as she looked after him in outrage.

'Prick!', she hissed.

Mike waited around the back of the supermarket, smoking a cigarette as he patiently waited for El to show up. Eventually, he heard footsteps, and he turned, smirking. El walked briskly towards him, her arms laden with bags of groceries.

'That was five minutes and fifteen seconds, princess.' He clicked his tongue. 'Not good enough.'

'I don't give a crap, Mike. I'm here now.' She put down the bags, and folded her arms, her mouth pressed together in a line. 'You have five minutes.'

'Okay before I tell you, listen El, I just want to say -. '

'Four minutes, fifty-five seconds.'

'But I just -.'

'Nope. You better say what you have to say, now. Right - _now_. The clock's _ticking._ '

Mike growled. He had forgotten how infuriating she could be. 'Fine! Fine, okay, okay. I'll cut straight to the chase.'

'Yes, please, before I decide you're not worth any of my time.'

Mike rolled his eyes but couldn't help but smile a little. Man, she was the most stubborn person he had ever met. It put all the other girls he had been with to shame. Plus, that list of girls most definitely did _not_ count that whiney bitch Jennifer.

She was still at him about El, as she still wasn't getting over that moment she saw them two together. Jennifer was a jealous type, which made her all the more annoying. It had been one meaningless hook-up, _one -_ and since then she has been completely obsessed with him.

He leaned against the wall, clearing his throat as he said. 'It's a long story, just to let you know. I might not be able to fit in all of it, given the limited time I was given.' He glared pointedly at El.

'Then don't bother with all of it. Give me the important information.' Her face was set in a bored expression, as if she couldn't be bothered listening to him. _Well that was soon to change_ , Mike thought darkly.

He sighed heavily. 'Okay.'

He pondered over what he was going to say, before beginning. 'I was ten years old. I wasn't initiated into the gang yet, I had to be at least thirteen to do that. But I often went with them, so I would know what kind of a future I had. My d-,' he stopped himself. No. She didn't need to know about – about _that_. Not yet.

He cleared his throat, shifting his position slightly. 'I knew some of the gang members, so they would occasionally take me with him, so they could show me what kind of business they did, what to expect from my future role as a member of the Hydras.'

'One day, some men were delivering a large cargo of illegal drugs. I didn't know what kind they were. I'm not even sure even some of the others knew. They never asked questions, they only followed orders.'

'I went with them, that day they were delivering the cargo. I can't remember the location. All I know it was this strange building, like a hospital. I didn't know anything about that place, only that they had some kind of a contract with them. They were supplying these people with whatever they were purchasing from us. Except of course – it wasn't really a hospital.'

'I was told to wait in the truck, so I wasn't able to see what exactly was in that building. And after about twenty minutes – without warning, the sirens in the building went off. I remember all these security people running around, with weapons out, yelling orders and apparently trying to barricade the building. And then – everything went to hell.'

Mike worked his jaw, running a hand through his hair. The things he had seen that day… He was unlikely to forget any of it any time soon.

'Go one.' El urged him.

He met her eyes. 'I-I saw a whole group of security guys suddenly lose their shit. They went crazy right on the spot, without warning. It fucking freaked me out, I had never seen _anything_ like it. Some were rolling on the ground, screaming and screaming, some were running around aimlessly, yelling nonsense, others were turning on each other, like they were suddenly the enemy. I was scared out of my mind, I didn't know what the hell was happening. Everyone had literally lost their fucking minds.'

El was completely still, her hands hanging at her sides as she listened to him.

He continued. 'But then – out of the blue, amidst all the chaos, I saw this… this girl.' As he spoke, the memory of it filled his eyes, his ears, all of his senses. The memory of the moment that he had spent years trying to figure out, the non-logic of it perplexing him.

 _Mike watched, shuddering as he breathed and huddled in the passenger seat of the truck as a figure appeared from the main doors. He squinted his eyes, trying to get a better look at this person. It was a girl, that was for sure._

 _All around her, people were going crazy. But she just kept walking, an almost satisfied expression on her face. She looked to be in her early teens, though she was quite small for her age. She seemed to be of Indian heritage, what with her brown skin and long black hair tumbling around her shoulders._

 _He peered out the window at her, as she walked out of the building, her hair blowing in the wind with her arms spread out slightly. There was something like peace or relief written all over her stance. She was wearing a long hospital gown, which was slightly billowing around her as she slowly strode away from the building that she was kept in._

 _All of a sudden, an armed guard ran towards her, yelling something with his gun pointed at her._

 _The girl calmly lifted her hand._

 _Mike gaped as the guard froze dead in his tracks. Completely paralysed. Then, without warning, he howled, as if in horrible pain. He fell to his knees, sobbing and clawing at his head, at the ground, almost as if he was begging for mercy from someone. The strange girl walked past him, as if nothing had happened._

 _All of a sudden, the girl looked over in his direction. Her eyes meeting his._

 _Mike was completely frozen, his hand clutching the pocket knife his dad had given him for his birthday, though he knew it would be of hardly any use against the likes of her._

 _The girl held eye contact with him, her expression unreadable. Mike couldn't breathe, staying completely still. She was going to kill him. She was going to make him go crazy like all those other men, and then make them kill him. His heart rate was going at an impossible speed._

 _She studied him coldly, making no move towards him. Mike waited, his breathing ragged. His hand was shaking as he held the pocket knife. Sweat trickled down his neck._

 _Without a word, the mysterious girl turned and walked away._

 _Mike was still frozen his seat long after she disappeared._

El gaped at him, her features full of disbelief as she took in what he had told her. She blinked. Swallowed. Then she blinked again. Finally, she said in a hoarse voice, 'Did you see her again?'

He shook his head. 'No. And I didn't tell anyone else about what I saw. I think – I was the only one to have seen her. The others – who were with me. They didn't see anything. You're the first one to have heard about this. Ever. I've never even told my friends about what I saw that day.'

El said nothing, rubbing her head and shaking it slightly. The redness of her cheek stood out against her pale skin.

This time Mike didn't waste any time. 'Why's your cheek all red?'

She whipped her head to him. 'What?'

'I said – why is your cheek all red?' He stepped closer to her, reaching out to touch it. She flinched away slightly. Mike stiffened when she did that, slowly retreating his hand. Unable to keep the growl out of his voice as he asked her, 'Did someone hit you?'

'No, no one hit me. I mean… no. I mean.' She sighed heavily, shoulders slumping slightly. 'It – I had a disagreement with my stepmother. That's all.'

He eyed her, eyes narrowing her. She seemed to be telling him the truth, but… He felt like he was missing something. Like there was something right in front of him, but he couldn't see it. There was just something niggling at his instincts, causing worry to cross over his emotions. She was hiding something, still. He didn't know what it was, but he was going to find out. He'll make sure of it.

'I have to go.' El picked up her shopping bags. Her face was still pale, and her knees were shaking slightly.

'Wait, no.' He stepped forward. 'I answered your question. Now you answer mine.'

'No.' She said quickly, backing away. 'I'm late. I have to go.'

'Look, I get you don't trust me. But – come on El, what I just told you… I mean, is that not proof enough? Proof that on I'm on your side, that I want to help you?'

'Help me?' She stared daggers at him. 'Help me how, exactly?'

'I don't know! I just – can you at least tell me how you got them? If we figure that out, maybe there's some way you can control them better-. '

'They _are_ under control.' She snapped.

'Oh, yeah that was so obvious by the way you threw me away unexpectantly with just your fucking mind! You do realise you could have done some serious harm to me. To _anyone._ '

'You kissed me! I had a right to defend myself.'

'So, you're saying that you didn't like it?' He slowly ambled up to her, until he was standing right in front of her. She glared at him as he lifted her chin. 'I find that very hard to believe.'

'I _don't_ want to talk about it.'

He raised his eyebrows, 'You're in denial, aren't you.'

'I'm not in denial about anything!'

'Say it then.'

'What?'

'Say you didn't like it, and I'll go. I'll leave you alone if that's what you want. Just be honest with me princess. Did you, or didn't you like it?'

El stared at him, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. She swallowed and opened her mouth. For a split second, Mike feared what she was going to say. That she was going to reject him, tell him his feelings were entirely one sided.

And in that split-second, Mike knew that if she told him no, that she didn't want him, he would walk away. No way in hell would he fully abandon her, would he leave her alone after he saw what she could do. But despite the effort he would have to put in, despite his complete reluctance to go through with it, he would back off.

And if he was being honest with himself, maybe it was for the best. El was too good for him anyway.

But El said nothing, looking aghast as she seemed to struggle to say something, but couldn't think of a good excuse.

Mike waited. El closed her eyes, sighing heavily as she gave up. He felt his heart do a little victory dance.

'Ah,' he drawled. 'There it is.' He tugged at her chin again, making her look up at him. Her eyes were a gorgeous deep brown, the colour of rich chocolate. 'I was right. You _did_ like it.'

'And what's your point?' She demanded, a hint of colour rising to her cheeks as she stood there uncomfortably.

His lips were inches from hers. 'I think - that you liked it so much, you want me to do it again.'

He ran a hand down her side, touching her hip and she froze, her breathing becoming a little heavier. He leaned forward, grazing his lips over the shell of her ear, before kissing the smooth skin under it.

Her breathing hitched, and he felt her shiver under his hands as he kissed her again, this time against her pulse point. He flicked his tongue out, tracing the vein with it, and she let out a little noise, like a whimper.

He kissed her again, moving up her neck, along her jaw and to her cheek, until his mouth was hovering over hers.

'You have no idea how much I've thought about you,' he murmured. His hands still tracing her sides. Their lips were so close, almost touching.

He felt her hand brace itself on his chest – and push him back slightly. He froze, opening his eyes as he looked down into her face.

Her expression was full of fear. 'I can't,' she whispered. 'I just – I can't, do it - any of it.' She stepped away from him, her eyes gazing at him with what looked like pain.

He said nothing, as she picked up her shopping bags and walked away from him.

'Are you scared of me?' He asked in a low voice. She stopped at the sound of his voice but didn't turn around. 'Is that it, El?'

She was silent for a moment. He waited with bated breath. She turned her head towards him. The dim lighting from the streets shone on half of her face. Her dismal expression was tight with vulnerability.

'I'm not scared.' El finally answered him. 'Not of you.'

She paused, before adding quietly, 'If anything, you should be scared of me.'

With that, she hurriedly walked away. Mike watched her small silhouette until she disappeared around the corner.

Mike leaned against the wall, his heart quiet, frustration swirling inside his head. His melancholy mood heightened the longer he stood there, and he tiredly rubbed his face with his hand.

He wasn't going to give up on her, he promised himself. He scowled with determination. He had to help her. But for her to trust him, he – he had to prove it. He had to reveal himself. His pulse pounded in his head and he took a sharp intake of breath as he realised what he had to do. He would have to do something that he had never done in his life, something he only did with the people he cared about.

In other words, he needed to show her the real person beneath the dark, dangerous, arrogant, cold mask of the Hydra leader.

* * *

El strode into school, blearily rubbing her eyes as she made her way through the corridor. Another sleepless night. With everything that was going, everything that she had learned… what else was new?

She almost didn't notice Stacy and her pals walking purposefully towards her, until it was too late.

Stacy rammed her shoulder into El, causing her to drop a few of her books.

'Watch where you're going, freak.' Stacy sneered. 'Go get your eyes checked, why won't you?' Her friends chortled.

El glared at her as she picked up her books. 'You were the one who bumped into me Stacy. Are you sure _you_ don't need to get your eyes checked?'

'Fuck off, Jane.' Stacy scoffed. 'No one wants to listen to your pathetic rambling. God, you piss me off, I can't stand _looking_ at you.'

'Yeah well, you're no picnic either,' El muttered, gathering her books and walking away from them. Arguing with Stacy was the last thing she had on her mind.

'Jane Hopper!'

El turned, blinking as Max strode towards her, fuming.

'Um… Max. Hi?'

'You have a lot of explaining to do, missus.' Max folded her arms, penetrating her with a glare. A few people were already looking in their direction.

'I - don't know you're talking about. Care to explain?' El said slowly, her heart hammering harder.

' _You_ , woman – have been keeping a secret from me. We promised that as friends, we would be honest with one another. And then you go and keep _this_ important information from me! What the actual fuck El?'

El's mouth went dry. She knew. Her friend, the one she never wanted to lie to, somehow found out. Either about Mike or her… abilities. Maybe even both. _Oh god. Shit shit shit,_ she thought. _Fuck fuck FUCK, what the hell am I supposed to do?_

'Max.' She said to her in a low voice, quivering slightly. 'I can explain everything, I swear. Just please, I didn't mean to lie to you. I just couldn't find the right time to tell you – I wanted to keep you out of it, if anything –.'

'Um, _no_ sister. You cannot keep Max Mayfield in the dark forever. It is absolutely impossible, it goes against the laws of nature.'

El felt sure her heart stopped beating as Max leaned towards her. 'When, Jane darling, were you going to tell me that certain secret of yours, hmmm?'

El audibly gulped. She was fucked. Oh god she was _so_ fucked.

'Imagine the shock of my life when I check the files in the secretary's office while awaiting the wrath of the school principal, and I happen to find out that your birthday falls on the eleventh this month. Which, sweetie… _is tomorrow!'_

El just gaped at her, the weight of a thousand bricks lifting off her shoulders as she finally realised that Max wasn't talking about any of her actual secrets. Reassurance flowed through her, and she felt like fainting with total relief. Her heartbeat slowed. Her birthday. Max had been talking about her freaking _birthday_. Trust her to be so dramatic.

Max looked absolutely outraged at her. 'What's with the damn smile El? Need I remind you? It somehow slipped your mind to tell me that the most important day of the year for you is happening _tomorrow!_ You didn't fucking tell me, you idiot!'

'Oh – um…'

'Yeah! _Oh um,_ that's right, sweetie. You're going to need one hell of an explanation for this!'

'It – it's not that important for me Max. I'm not that bothered with my birthday that much.'

'N – no – not bo… _Did I just hear you right!?'_

El took a step backwards in nervousness at her friend's outright fury. 'Yeah, my birthday is just- ', _just marks another complete year of survival in the Hopper house,_ she wanted to say, 'Just, another year for me. It's just another number.'

'Oh my god El you did not just – excuse me but _who raised you?_ How the hell could you just see it like that?'

'Like I said Max, I don't do birthdays.' El shrugged. 'I just don't see what the big deal is.'

She wasn't lying. Her family never celebrated her birthday. Her dad would give her a few bucks of spending money, ' _For a bit of girly junk'_ he said. That was the closest to a birthday present she ever got. Diane and Sara, meanwhile blatantly ignored her birthday. Diane would always purposefully go out for dinner somewhere fancy, just the three of them, while El stayed at home. She couldn't remember ever having a birthday cake while living with them. She had grown accustomed to it, to the point where for her, her birthday was just another meaningless day.

'Okay, honey, listen here.' Max grabbed her by the arm and dragged her into the nearest girl's bathroom. A few girls were already in there, and they jumped when Max marched in, nervousness etched on their faces when they saw the look on her face.

'Scram.' Max snapped at them. They immediately rushed out without hesitation. Max truly lived up to her title as the scariest girl in school in every way possible.

'Are you actually telling me this? You don't _like_ your own birthday? Like – is this a joke? Because I'm not laughing.'

El inserted her hands in her pockets. 'No joke Max. I'm afraid I'm being deadly serious.'

Max simply stared at her. 'But surely you must do something special with your family then.'

'Well yeah,' El answered quickly. 'Obviously. But, you see – birthdays aren't really that big of a deal in my family. It's just the way we are.'

Lies, such stupid, fucking lies. El knew at that moment that she hated herself.

Max sighed heavily, leaning against the wall. 'Well, by my grandmother's grave,' she said shaking her head. 'I just don't know what to say, El. You never had a party ever?'

'Never. And I'm not planning on doing one anytime soon.'

'Well sorry to burst your bubble, El darling, but tradition's about to change.'

'What?'

'That's right.' Max got up from her leaning position, and walked towards her, eyes full of mischief. 'Because if you're not celebrating it, then _I_ am. I'm officially throwing a party for you at my house – tomorrow night.'

El felt her heart stutter to a halt. 'Wait – _what?'_

'You should at least look happy about it, girl.'

'Max, what did I just tell you. I don't _want_ a party. It's the last thing I want right now.'

'Oh, come on El. Lighten up, it'll be for a bit of fun. Relax, I'm not inviting the whole school. It's just gonna be us two, and my friends – plus a little dash of beer.'

'I don't drink Max.'

'I know that, don't worry. I can also use this gathering as the perfect opportunity to introduce you to my boyfriend. Can you believe it? It's been one and a half weeks since I last had weed!' Max winked. 'Maybe I should celebrate with him, if you get what I mean.'

'Oh my God Max, _please_ shut up, I don't need to hear this,' El cringed, shuddering in disgust.

'Ah, I'm only messing with you sweetness. So, is it a yes? Will you let me throw a big birthday bash for my girl?'

El fidgeted with her nails, nerves rising in her. 'Will it – just be us and your friends then? Just inner circle.'

'Just inner circle. Pinky promise.' She held out her little finger, as she said it. El looked at it, sighed and reluctantly hooked her own little finger around Max's, giving in. 'Well it's not like I can change your mind anyway.'

'Fantastic! I knew I could count on you. Bae, we are going to have so much fun!'

'But this can't get out. My dad and step-mom will kill me if they find out.'

El's father was still in hospital, the doctors estimating that he'll be ready to be discharged within a week or two. No one had any idea what had really happened to him. Everyone thought he just had an accident while driving.

She pushed the image of _him_ out of her mind. She didn't want to think about him, or about the shocking revelation he had told her about. Others with… abilities. That girl, he told her about. Who made everyone hallucinate at her will.

El badly wanted to believe he was lying, so she could use it as an excuse to hate him. But no matter how hard she tried, despite all the messed-up crap that he pulled, she still couldn't stop thinking about him. Somehow, she just didn't have the ability to hate him.

She thought about what he had told her, how he couldn't stop thinking about her. Was it true? The thought made her heart beat faster and a familiar warmth spread to her core. She couldn't stop going over his words over and over again in her head. She had no idea how she felt about him. But those feelings – they terrified her.

'El. _El,_ hello? Are you listening to me?'

She immediately snapped out of her thoughts. 'Sorry?'

Max rolled her eyes. 'I was saying that your dad and step-mom are such control-freaks, _and_ that we should invite Josh.'

'Yeah, I know but I'm used t- … Wait, _what!?'_

'Yeah, we should totally invite Josh. I know great idea, right. Maybe this will finally encourage you two to hook up.'

'Max! Are you kidding me right now? I don't like him _that_ way.'

Max scoffed. 'Oh yeah and I'm Donald Duck.'

'Max _please!_ Don't invite him.'

'Why? It's only polite. Besides, he's totally into you. And you're into him. Trust me, I'm doing you a favour.'

'Max, I'm not! It's just…'

'It's just what?'

'It's just _complicated_ , alright?'

'Oh El, honey, all relationships start off complicated. Believe me, when I first met my man, I hated him at first sight. But as they say, there's a fine line between love and hate.' Max winked. 'Who knows, maybe by the end of the night, you won't be a virgin anymore.'

'Oh, for goodness sake,' El huffed. 'I give up!'

'El, how bad can it be? Just hang out with him, talk to him, and just see how it goes.'

El knew that she wasn't going to stop pestering her until she finally agreed to it. Despite her reluctance, huffed a sigh.

'Oh, all right then.'

Max was elated. 'Thank you, thank you El. You're not going to regret this, I swear. You are going to have an unforgettable night, just you wait and see.'

* * *

'We're going out tonight.'

El looked up from unloading the dishwasher. Diane was dressed in a fashionable work suit, her hair and make-up flawless as usual. She fixed El with that bored, disgusted look of hers, her blue eyes icy.

'Myself and Sara and a few of her little friends are going into town. We won't be back until eleven at the very latest. If I come back and find that all your chores aren't done, you're sleeping outside for the night, do you hear me young lady.'

'Yes.' El said quietly. Obediently.

'Yes what.' Diane snapped at her, her nostrils flaring. 'Say it in a proper tone of voice!'

'I'm sorry. Yes, I'll do that Diane. I – I won't disappoint you.'

Diane gave her a long slow look, her icy eyes scrutinising her. 'You're an absolute fucking burden to us all, do you realise that? Why your father ever agreed to take you in is _beyond_ me.'

El said nothing, letting her stepmother pick on her.

She sniffed at her, her delicate nose twitching. 'You need to stop using that attitude with me, I won't put up with it. The world isn't all about _you._ It's a miracle that that girl even likes you - I can't stand even _looking_ at you.

She paused, her thin lips stretching into a slow smile. 'I must say, it's a wonder your complete slut of a mother didn't top herself sooner. But… at least you know why she loved crack more than she loved you. She succeeded in ending her life. Such a pity than she didn't succeed in ending _you_ as well.'

With a satisfied little smirk, she sauntered from the room, humming. El watched her heels as they clacked against the tiled floor, the tension in her body building.

There was a roaring building up in her ears, drowning out everything else around her. Pure, unconditional hatred spread through her like poison, filling every pore in her body. All she could hear was that continuous roaring in her head as she stared at her stepmother's figure walking away from her.

Her fists were clenched so tightly, she could feel the nails cutting into her skin.

There were no words to explain how El felt right at that moment. Her feelings of negativity for that hellish person in her life went beyond hatred.

It would be so easy. It would be so easy just to lose that restraint on herself and make her suffer. She _wanted_ her to suffer. She wanted her to feel the pain that she had felt for the past ten years while living under the same roof as her. It was like an ache inside of her, she wanted it so badly.

She wasn't sure how long she knelt there, staring at nothing, letting the dark hole inside of her grow and grow.

She didn't know how long more she could stand it. Living here.

She left the house for Max's an hour after Diane and Sara left, with the lower part of her arm bandaged.

* * *

She found Max's house with no difficulty at all, having followed the directions her friend had given her. It was a small bungalow in one of the large, rough neighbourhoods in Westside. But it managed to look presentable, with a light blue paint job and neatly cut garden with rose bushes and a trimmed hedge, along with an iron bench and hanging baskets of flowers on the porch.

Max let her in eagerly, practically bouncing as she dragged her into her room. 'I'm so glad you let me do this El.' She said as she opened up her wardrobe, all her clothes spilling out. She held up two little dresses, one a navy blue and the other black. 'Okay El, I need your opinion. Blue? Or black?'

El studied them both for a moment. 'Blue,' she decided. 'It brings out the colour in your eyes.'

'Yeah I was kinda thinking of going for that one as well. Glad that's sorted.' She threw the blue dress on the bed and put the other one back in the wardrobe. She looked at El, folded her arms and chewed her lip 'Now, what to do with you…'

'Oh no Max. I'm fine. Seriously I don't _want_ you to do anything. I'm okay with how I look right now.'

'Well _I'm_ not.' Max sat beside her. 'Oh, before I forget,' Max took out a wrapped gift from under her bed. 'Happy 17th Birthday El.'

El gaped at her, words leaving her entirely. 'You-you got me a present? Max you didn't have to do that.'

Max shrugged. 'You didn't think I wouldn't think of getting my bestie something for her birthday, did you?'

El smiled at her and opened it. It was a smartphone.

Her jaw dropped to the ground.

'Max! What the- _I can't accept this!'_

'Sure, you can. And you will. It's my old phone, I have no use for it anymore. I was going to throw it away, but I'm well aware that you're currently without a cell phone. I'll need to keep in contact with other than school. So here. Take it.'

El held the phone in her hand. It wasn't one of the new models, this one was about three years old. But still. A _phone._ Her very own cell phone.

'I – don't know what to say,' she spluttered.

Max grinned. 'How about a thank you?'

El gaped at the phone, then back at Max. 'Max, I – I just don' know how I'll ever repay you.'

'You don't need to. We're friends. Its what friends are for, right?'

El nodded. She still couldn't believe it. A _phone_.

She hugged Max fiercely, saying thank you over and over again.

'Yeah, yeah, you're very welcome El, a thousand times.' Max pulled away from her. 'Now can we please focus on what's really important? Namely- ', she gestured at El's clothes. 'Your outfit?'

'Max! No. We don't need to do that.'

'Do you trust me El?'

She sighed in exasperation. 'Yes.'

'Then trust me on this. I won't make you look outrageous or anything, I _promise._ Just please let me pick an outfit for you.'

El debated it. Before she had left the house, she had gone with a normal pair of jeans and top, assuming that what she wore wouldn't matter. But obviously Max had other plans.

'Okay, fine. But no dresses. Or shorts. Or anything short for that matter, okay.'

'Fusspot,' Max rolled her eyes. 'But yeah, okay.'

Max went to her wardrobe and began rummaging through it. She called out to her as she searched, her head stuck in between clothes on hangers. 'Plus, you need to let me do your make-up.'

* * *

By the time Max's friends came around, El had been finished half an hour ago.

She could barely recognise herself. She had made sure Max didn't put on such heavy make-up on her, only letting her do her eyes in natural shades and a little bit of dusty pink coloured lipstick.

She was wearing an old pair of high-waisted jeans that no longer fitted Max, but due to the size difference, it fitted her perfectly. It showed of her slim curves in an astonishingly nice way, not too showy but not very subtle either. Her demanding friend had also managed to coax her into a crop-top, one with long sleeves of course, with a little denim jacket to top the whole look.

But what was most impressive about what Max had done with her, was her hair.

Max had straightened her big mass of curly hair, to the point where she could no longer see the frizzes. It hung down in a straight, flowy curtain, past her shoulders, framing her pointed face. El stared at reflection. It was like a different girl was looking back at her.

Max joined her at the mirror. She was wearing the blue dress, which showed off her curves and a little bit of cleavage and staggeringly high heeled shoes. She was also wearing much, much heavier make-up than El. Not that she was going to judge her friend or anything.

'Look at us.' Max wrapped an arm around El, grinning uncontrollably at their reflections. 'We're sexy as hell.'

El scoffed. She noticed Max's body, her healthy curves quite wide compared to her own slim ones, and she frowned slightly. She hadn't realised up until now how thin she was. It had never – occurred to her.

Max seemed to notice it too, and she bit her lip, giggling nervously. 'Wow look at that. I look _so_ overweight next you.'

'Yeah well.' El moved away from the mirror to stuff her other clothes in her backpack. 'You're still the most attractive out of the two of us. Your man's a lucky guy.'

Max was silent behind her, and El looked towards her from where she was crouching. She was staring at her, concern written all over her face.

'El.' She swallowed. All trace of amusement in her expression was gone. 'You – you would tell me if something was going on, right?'

'Yeah. Yeah sure.' El tried to sound convincing. She stood up, plastering an assuring smile on her face. 'Why?'

Max shook her head, still staring at her. 'I don't know. I kind of just thought…' She trailed off.

Suddenly the doorbell went, followed by a loud banging at the door. 'Open up, Mayfield, we want our beer,' came Shelby's voice from behind the door.

Max rolled her eyes. 'Coming,' she roared.

She let them in, all of them in a cheery mood. Shelby was dressed in similar attire to Max, Logan was sporting a new tomato red hairdo, and Nicola, thankfully, was also in jeans and a crop top, which showed off her pierced belly button.

They all wished her a happy birthday, commenting on her outfit and hair, remarking on how different she looked.

'My, my, my don't you look ravishing tonight El.' Nicola complimented her, wiggling her eyebrows. 'You impressing anyone tonight in particular?'

'A certain _Josh,_ I'm pretty sure.' Max smirked.

'Oh my god, shut up Max!' El said exasperatedly. 'I've just about had it with you.'

'Josh? Oh, my goodness, I am _intrigued.'_ Logan exclaimed. 'El, I need to know everything about this guy. Go on, dish the dirt.'

' _Max_ invited him. Not me. I don't even know the guy.'

'Oh pfft, doesn't matter. Half the people I get with, I don't even know their _names.'_ Nicola told her, smirking.

'Nic, you of all people can't tell El to just hook up with whoever she wants.' Shelby said exasperatedly.

'Ah, but she's going to hook up with Josh, is she not?'

'No!' El snapped, slowly losing her patience.

'El is very shy.' Max explained with a coy smile. 'She secretly wants Josh all to herself. I bet ten bucks she will lose her virginity tonight.'

' _Max!'_ El had never felt so mortified in her life.

'Really?' Logan gaped at her. 'You're kidding right.'

'A girl with your looks. _And_ still a virgin.' Nicola smirked. 'Whoever the guy is, he is _hella_ lucky.'

'Still a virgin, eh.' Shelby chuckled, shaking her head. 'Honey, not trying to frighten you here, but _man_ you have a big storm coming your way.'

'Oh, I give up! Can we please just shut up about my damn virginity! Max wasn't even supposed to tell anyone, it was supposed to remain between the two of us.' She glared pointedly at the red-haired girl. Max shrugged, mouthing ' _What?'_ to her.

'All this boy angst, all these dilemmas.' Logan chuckled. 'I'm so glad I'm not into any kind of romance.'

'Sometimes I envy you, Logan.' Shelby sighed. 'At least you don't have to deal with relationship drama.

'Well even if you don't get with this Josh,' Nicola told El. 'At least there'll be other boys for you to choose from.'

Max stood very, very still as the words sank in. She slowly turned to her. 'What do you mean, _other_ boys? Nic, did you tell anyone else about this party?'

Nicola's eyes widened slightly. 'I – um – might have told one or two people that you might be having a party tonight.'

'Go on.' Max said in a low voice, folding her arms.

'And they might have told other people, who told other people…'

Max interrupted her in a deadpan voice. 'Nic. Are you kidding me right now?'

'What! I told a _few_ friends, how was I supposed to know that they would go around telling other people!'

Just then the doorbell rang, followed by loud whoops and cheers. Everyone glared at Nicola, who looked sheepish.

Max growled, infuriated. 'Well, we'd better make ourselves useful then if we are to serve about fifty more guests. Nicola, let them in, El put out the food and beer, Shelby put on some tunes, some _Drake_ if you can, and Logan, get the beer kegs from the basement.'

'What! Why me?', he protested.

Max smiled in a feline way and said in a slow, sarcastic, sweet tone, 'Because honey, as far as I can see, _you're_ the male in the room. So, when I ask that you do the heavy work, you do it _right now_ , and don't waste your time arguing with me. Capiche?'

He grumbled, making a rude sign at her before making his way down to the basement.

'El, gosh I'm so sorry.' Max said earnestly. 'You don't need to stay, it's probably going to be too overwhelming for you. Man, Nic doesn't know when to keep her mouth shut.'

'It's fine, no worries. I – um,' El bit her lip. 'I'll stay for a while, seeing as I'm here already. Might as well, you know?'

'Oh! Okay, great.' Max smiled with relief. Just then, a whole group of people poured into the kitchen, laughing and talking, grabbing cans of beer and downing them.

'I am going to kill Nicola.' Max muttered

* * *

Within forty minutes the part was in full swing. Loud rap music blared, and every room in Max's house was packed. There had to be around a hundred people here, though she wasn't sure. El made sure to stick by her side, helping her hide some valuables that might get broken or stolen.

'If _anything_ goes missing, or broken, my mom will throw a fit,' Max groaned as she stowed a vase under the sink. 'Seriously, my mom step-dad will _kill_ me if they knew I had a party here.'

El shook her head in sympathy.

'Well! Seeing as we're supposed to be having fun…' Max grabbed a beer, took a large swig and whipped out her phone. 'Let's _have_ fun.'

She held out the camera in front of them as she took a few selfies. Max pouted, while El, unsure of what to do, simply smiled.

'Who are you sending that to?' El asked curiously, watching as Max sent one of the pictures off.

'My boyfriend.' She explained. 'He'll be here soon, hopefully. I can't _wait_ for you guys to meet.' She grabbed El's hand, and practically dragged her into the living the room where people were dancing. A _Drake_ song played at top volume, the sound blasting through El's ears. She was grinning and laughing, dancing with Max to the music. Logan soon joined them, and the three of them were soon jumping up and down in a little group, shouting the words.

After three songs, El suddenly realised how hot she was. She badly needed a drink.

'Be right back.' She told her friends before making her way to the kitchen. She poured herself some coke, taking a long drink.

'Hi.'

El practically jumped out of her skin at the voice, almost spilling her drink. Josh stood there, grinning, his hair gelled back and wearing a dark shirt and fitting jeans.

'Hi.' She said in a loud voice, then cringed. 'I mean – hi. How are you? Good to see you made it, I guess.'

'Thanks, Jane.' He smiled. _Man, he is incredibly cute_ , El thought. 'When Max told me, that you two were having a party, I knew I had to come. I brought a few friends of mine as well. You look great by the way,' he added with a lingering look at her outfit.

'Thanks. You do too.' El smiled, then stopped. Her smile faded. 'Did you say friends?'

'Yeah, from school. Troy and some of the other guys couldn't make it, but some other players are here.'

'Right.' El gripped the counter, feeling slightly relieved. She didn't want to deal with Troy tonight. 'So, how's everything going?'

'Good actually.' He started chatting to her about his subjects and what teachers he had, El listening and smiling. He _was_ very good-looking, very boy-next-door. None of that bad-boy vibe. He had a great smile, his dimples showing every time he did so. He was smiling at her.

'So, I wanted to ask. Your name is Hopper, right? Are you related to the chief by any chance?'

El nodded, somewhat reluctantly.

'Oh yeah, I figured. What about your mom, what does she do? I heard someone say she ran for mayor once.'

El felt her body stiffen, but she just plastered a polite smile on her face. 'That's my step-mom, actually. Yeah she's… a local politician.'

'Wow that's so cool. Your dad and step-mom are the two of the most influential people town. That's pretty impressive.'

'I guess.' El forced the words out of her.

'And… what about your mom? Is she around?'

El felt her mouth go slightly dry, and her breathing picked up slightly. She swallowed and opened her mouth, but just as she did so, someone eagerly jumped on her from behind.

'Ellie, Ellie!', Max drunkenly yelled. 'There you are, I have been looking _everywhere_ for you. Hi Josh!'

'Hey Max.' He greeted her. 'Great party.'

'Stop lying to me, it's a shitty part, but _who cares!'_ She grabbed El by the shoulder, whirling her around. 'El I think it's about time you met my man. Babe, this here is the famous El Hopper.'

El's smile faded as she looked up at the guy that Max had by the arm. He was dark-skinned, and wearing biker gear, along with a black leather jacket.

She instantly recognised him, his serious, intimidating face, despite it being weeks since the last time she saw him.

'El, this is my boyfriend Lucas.' Max said brightly, not noticing that El had completely frozen in her spot. 'And Lucas, this is my bae, the honourable Jane Hopper, who goes by the alias, El.'

His dark eyes studied her. He was one of _his_ comrades. One of the men accompanying him that first night they met. He was a member of the Hydras.

He frowned slightly at her as she gaped at him, as if he too recognised her from somewhere. 'Have we met before?'

El couldn't get any words out of her mouth, simply staring in complete shock as suddenly everything clicked, and she finally registered with what she was seeing. She stared at him, then at Max, before looking back at him. She continued to do so for the next two minutes, while the two of them looked on, confused.

'Um… El? Everything okay honey?' Max asked her nervously.

El was still speechless, looking back and forth at them repeatedly. She felt the tension build up in her body, could feel anger begin to thrum through her veins

Slowly she turned to Max. Her eyes slightly widened as she took in El's dark expression, her hands balled into fists.

' _You're dating a fucking Hydra!'_

El's shriek sounded out over the music, causing several people to look in their direction. She didn't care.

'El it's not- wait,' Max furrowed her brows. 'You know about the Hydras?'

'That's not the freaking point Max! You told me you were with a drug dealer.' El took a step towards her, seething. 'You're seriously not telling me that you just _happened_ to forget to tell me that _extremely_ vital fact, that he is also a member of the most dangerous gang in Hawkins!?'

'Hold on. I do know you.' Max's boyfriend or _Lucas_ said to her. 'You were-,'

'No! No, I don't know you! And you don't know me!'

'Sure, I do. My friends will recognise you for sure.'

'Friends?' El said in a shaky voice.

'What?' Max whirled on Lucas. 'You're not telling me – _you brought them here!?'_

'Yeah.' He shrugged like it was no big deal. 'Free booze and all.'

'Oh, for fucks sa- '.

El didn't hear anymore. She had to get out of here. He had just said that his friends were here. And that meant there was a chance that he was here too.

She wasn't going to take that chance. She wanted him out of her life and fast, before she got herself hurt.

She shoved her way through the crowd, trying to get to the back door. She could vaguely hear Max calling after her before she finally reached the door.

She burst out of the door, cold air greeting her. Her bag was still in the house, but screw it, she was going to have to leave it.

As she ran around the corner, someone grabbed her by the arm. She whirled, coming face to face with the very person she was trying to avoid.

She stared at Mike.

'Hey,' he said in a low voice. He let go of her arm and slipped his hands into his pockets. He bit his lip, as if he was unsure of what to say next.

He still looked the same as ever, wearing his black leather jacket and his black tousled curly hair still in its messy style. He was still so so gorgeous.

'Hey,' she answered.

He stared back at her, eyes roaming over her as he took in her appearance. He noticed her tight high-waisted jeans, seeing how they outlined her lower body, her crop top showing her naval. She saw him visibly work his jaw.

He looked behind her, where the party was still going on. 'Not in the mood for a party tonight?'

She pulled a face, looking down at her feet. 'It's no fun if you're the only sober one in the house.'

His lips quirked up at that. 'Well uh - I can give you a ride home - if you like?' He licked his lips and swallowed in a surprisingly nervous nervous way. 'I mean - if you want.'

It was pretty dark at this point, so walking home was definitely not a bright idea. She nodded. 'I'd appreciate that. Thanks.'

His shoulders relaxed in a relieved sort of way. 'Let's go then,' he said in a low voice and strode past El. She shook her head, becoming aware of all her mixed up emotions before going after him.

She followed him down the street, trailing a few metres behind him, while he walked determinedly, looking behind his shoulder every few seconds to check she was still behind him.

They got to a silver car parked on the curb a few blocks away from Max's house. He unlocked it, opening the passenger door. He looked pointedly at her.

She sighed, sliding into the car. It was a surprisingly nice car, with leather seats and a red glowing dashboard.

He slid in next to her, starting the engine and driving off down the street.

'Where are you taking me?' She said quietly. Afraid to look over at him.

He sighed through his nose. He still had that angry look about him. 'Somewhere quiet.'

She didn't press him. She shivered a little, pulling her jacket against her. He looked over at her, frowning.

'You cold?'

She shook her head. 'No, I'm fine.'

The words were barely out of her mouth before he pressed the switches for the heater. The car began to warm up.

'Thank you.' She told him.

He didn't answer, keeping his eyes on the road. 'So, it's your birthday today?'

'How did you know?'

'Your friend put up a picture of you two on her private Facebook account. She was using birthday cake emoji's as her caption. Her boyfriend Lucas, _my_ friend, saw it and he showed it to me when he suggested that we go along with him to the party.' He glanced at her. 'So, Happy Birthday I guess.'

'Thanks.'

'How old are you now? Seventeen?'

'Yep.' She bit her lip, looking over at his brooding profile. 'And how old are you?'

He flexed his hands on the steering wheel. 'I'll be twenty in two months.'

El's jaw dropped, raising her eyebrows in disbelief. 'You're nineteen?'

'I said I'm nearly twenty,' he growled in annoyance.

'Yeah, but you're still nineteen.'

'Your point?'

'A nineteen-year old, and one of the leaders of a notorious gang that no one can take down, not even the cops? I mean come on, that is damn impressive.' She couldn't help saying. Immediately wishing she hadn't been so straightforward.

But he stared at her, eyebrows raised and something like surprise in his expression. 'You really think so?' he said quietly. Cautiously.

Feeling slightly embarrassed, El simply nodded, not looking at him. He gazed at her for a few moments. She could practically feel his eyes on her, before he finally turned his attention back to the road. But he kept glancing at her while driving.

They came to a small clearing, just off the main road, where a mud track was just beginning.

He came to a stop, switching off the engine. For a moment there was silence.

'I'm assuming you want to know why I brought you out here?'

She slowly turned towards him. He was giving her that look again. She looked away, swallowing. 'Yeah.'

He pressed his lips together, staring out at the darkness in front of him. 'I meant what I said before. About wanting to help you. I still mean it now.'

El shook her head. 'Mike…'

'No El. Just… I need to say something to you. I have to tell you about – look I want you to trust me. I'm not going to make you tell me how you got your… abilities yet. You're scared, I get it. But I want to help you. And what I'm telling you now… I've never told anyone about it, never talked about it. Not even to… my friends. So, I've decided to trust you now. Okay?'

'Mike- '

'You don't have to tell me today. You don't have tell me tomorrow, or the day after either. I'm not going to force you to. But I just want you to really, truly start trusting me.'

'Mike you don't need to-,'

'My dad is the leader of the Hydras. Has been for the past twenty-five years. He's one of the most wanted men in the state, but no one knows his true identity. My mom, she – ', he broke off for a moment. Took a heavy breath. 'She was married when she met him. She still _is_ married.'

El stayed silent as she listened, having forgotten whatever excuse she had.

'Her husband had cancer at the time, and he was having treatment in the city. But despite that, even though her husband - and her _daughter_ needed her, she went off on reckless nights out to hook up with other guys. Behind everyone's backs. And – she mostly went to the Westside.'

'And on one of those nights out, she met – my dad. I still don't know what attracted her to him but… they were together for about a month. She was off screwing him, while at home her daughter was being looked after by a child minder and her husband was having treatment for cancer on the other side of the state.'

El wasn't sure if she was breathing, only concentrating on what _he_ was saying. The truth about himself, his past.

'My mom didn't realise she was pregnant until she was nearly due. And by then… it was already over between them. Long over in fact. And her husband had been in hospital for the past year. There was no way he'd believe her if she told him the kid was his. So, out of desperation, she had me in a different hospital far away from here, where no one would recognise her, under a false name. Soon after, she - she left me at my dad's doorstep. Then she returned to her normal respectable life as a loving, caring wife and mother.'

El felt hollow. She could only feel numbness in her body as she struggled to register what she was hearing.

'My dad… didn't want me. He tried to get her to take me back, but…'

El's eyes pricked with tears.

'So, he did the next best thing. He left me with an old family friend. Her name was Joyce Byers.' A hint of a smile lit up his face. 'She raised me like one of her own. We weren't related by blood, but she treated me like her son. She's like my mother. She was _always,_ a mother to me. And her kids were my brothers. I – I don't know what I'd do without them.'

'But my dad… he wanted me to be like him. Be a Hydra. Get involved in their business and trades. Become a leader. I was automatically expected to take over from him someday. He controlled my life, my future. The Hydras were my future, that was the way I was taught to live.'

'My old man – if I disappointed him in any way he would beat the shit out of me. Or sometimes he would get his men to do it. Either way… I never went a week without some bruises. It was the way my life was. I was taught never to fail, always to win. He toughened me up, made me like him. Bit by bit, I lost my emotions. Bit by bit I… I lost my humanity. He just… he broke me – and continued to do that until - until there was almost nothing left to break.'

'And then – then when I was fourteen… I was officially initiated into the Hydras. But for me to do that…' He took a shaky breath and clenched his jaw. El could see the pain written all over his face. 'I – I had to kill someone. I had to beat that person in a fight to a fucking pulp, and then pull the trigger of a gun myself. I had to end someone's life.'

El felt like throwing up. She didn't know what to say or do.

'He was the first… the first of many. And – and when I did it… I knew. I knew my old man had turned me into him. He had made me into an exact replica of him. A cold-blooded monster. Because…. Because I knew from the moment I pulled the trigger, that there was no going back from this. I knew I had damned myself. When I killed that person, my dad had broken the very last piece of me that still felt… me. He took that away from me. He made me into what I am today.'

Slowly El turned her head to look at him. He was staring at the steering wheel, unmoving, unblinking. Staring at nothing, lost in his own darkness. Something she knew so well.

'Why are you telling me this?', she said quietly.

He looked her, incredulity in his expression. 'Jesus, _don't you_ -? Are you seriously asking me that right now?' He shook his head, scoffing.

'You're not like him,' she said softly. He didn't look at her.

She shivered. 'I-I know the difference between a monstrous person and – and someone who isn't. Believe me, I do. And… I know for a fact that you're not the former.'

'You don't know that.' He said darkly.

'I do. Mike, no matter what they say, no matter what they think – you are not your dad.'

'I am El.' He glared at her. 'And you know what? Do you know what the worst part is? I like it. I want to stay like this. My old man… all I've wanted, all I've ever lived for, is to do my fucking best to live up to his expectations. He's all I have. My mom dumped me. _He_ damn near dumped me, because he thought I wasn't worth it. I'm doing everything in my power to prove that he's wrong. That I can live up to his expectations, that I _can_ be like him.'

El just stared at him, lost for words. There was such dark determination in his expression, the sort that would strike fear in people.

But she didn't feel anything. She didn't feel fear. Nervousness maybe… but not fear.

'Would your dad have stepped in to save me from those jocks?'

He turned to her, opening his mouth, but she cut him off. 'Would he have saved me from that other gang that night at the races? Most import, would he have risked everything just to get the woman, the woman who raised him - back from a corrupt police force? Would he have done all that?'

Mike didn't answer.

Before she could stop herself, she reached over and touched his cheek. He flinched, surprise crossing his expression. He turned towards her, frowning, his mouth slightly parted as she gently cupped his cheek.

'I don't know about your dad, Mike.' She said softly. 'But I think those actions prove that deep inside, behind that mask of yours… you're someone who protects fiercely and without a second thought.'

He said nothing. He just stared and stared at her.

She gazed back, not removing her hand.

His expression was completely unreadable as he continued to gaze at her. The longer they stayed silent, the more tension began to build between them.

El wasn't sure which of them leaned forward first. All she knew was that they were both slowly leaning towards each other.

His eyes were roaming over her face, his expression becoming hungry as they settled on her lips.

One minute she was gazing into those beautiful dark eyes, the next thing she knew, his lips were on hers.

The taste of him. God, she didn't realise the last time just how good he tasted. The scent of him filled her nose, and she sighed deeply. Her hand instinctively shot into his hair, as he moved one hand around her waist, squeezing her hip. She opened her mouth to him, and his tongue swept in.

She groaned, and as if it snapped a tether in him, he immediately hauled her over the console and onto his lap in a single movement, not breaking their kiss as she straddled him.

His hands squeezed her hips as their kiss became more passionate, moving his hands to cup her ass. Their lips moved against one another, both letting out moans as it became more fervent.

El felt like she was in seventh heaven – she just couldn't get enough of him. She felt him harden beneath her, and he immediately moved against her. The feeling was both mind-blowing and satisfying. They both let out moans as he rubbed his crotch against her.

She gripped his hair, pulling at it as he moved his lips down to her cheek, her jaw and then to her neck. Her eyes still closed, sighing as he sucked and nibbled at her collarbone, his hands squeezing her ass as he pulled her against him, until there was no room left between their bodies.

He captured her lips again, in a way that made her delirious. She didn't want it to end. She didn't know how the hell she spent her whole life without ever knowing this kind of passion even existed. Without knowing _he_ existed.

They were both panting slightly as the kiss came to an end, their foreheads leaning together.

They exchanged no words. But when El opened her eyes, he was staring at her. There was still lust in his eyes, but there was something else too. Tenderness.

She gently cupped his face with both hands, as they simply sat there, taking everything in.

She didn't know what it was they had between them. And she still felt scared, of things going wrong, of the huge risk they were taking just by doing this.

But maybe – maybe that fear was a good thing.


	9. Chapter 9

**You guys. It's been too long.**

 **Thank you for being so patient. I'm just so goddamn grateful for all of you. I keep you all in my prayers, just to let you know.**

 **Wow so much has happened, I must say. The new trailer for Captain Marvel came out (EEEE!), the trailer for Avengers: Endgame came out (Bigger EEEEEE!), AND you guys. The titles for STRANGER THINGS 3 were revealed! Aaaahhhhh it's just so exciting! Summer cannot come soon enough!**

 **Also, at the moment I'm having a little bit of a dilemma. And I was hoping some of you could help me out a little bit x.**

 **So, you all know that at the moment, I'm working on a book. It's a concept that I absolutely love, so I really want to get it right. One thing I have noticed with several books, is that there isn't a lot of diversity (I am in no way dissing any of those amazingly talented authors out there!) so I want to avoid doing that.**

 **But again, writing diverse characters is a bit of a challenge, because there is the matter of doing stereotypes, which I want to do my utmost to avoid! My main character, for example, is Latina, and I don't want to stereotype her in any way that would offend people. I don't think I could live with myself if that happened. Especially because a lot of authors often have white protagonists, with the POC as the side characters.**

 **So if any of you have any advice, I would absolutely love to hear it. Plus is you have advice about other things, I'm open to that too!**

 **This chapter was quite an effort to write. You're going to see why at the end. HINT! There is a little twist. Hope you enjoy! Love you all! Xxx**

* * *

The morning sunlight was streaming it's beams through the open cracks of the blinds on his grimy bedroom window, giving the room a sort of faint golden glow. Mike slowly cracked his eyes open hazily. And he immediately remembered what had occurred that night. He breathed in deeply, a faint smile on his face, and stretched out lazily. For once, he actually got a pleasant night's sleep.

This morning wasn't like other mornings. It felt – different. Somehow it was brighter – more optimistic. And he knew exactly why. He sat up, sitting at the edge of his bed and running a hand through his hair. His mind conjured up the events of the previous night, and a content little smirk like no other spread across his face.

* * *

' _Mike. Mike seriously,' she gasped through the kiss, trying to pull herself away. He wholly ignored her, only tugging her closer, and tightening his hold on her, hungrily exploring her mouth with his tongue. No way. No way in hell was he letting her go._

' _My god, Mike I -.' He cut her off, eating up that little mouth of hers with his own. Despite her protests, she melted anyway, wrapping her arms around his neck with a groan._

 _Fuck, she tasted good. And it didn't have anything to do with the fact that unlike other girls, her breath didn't reek of cigarettes or weed. It was just… He couldn't explain it, this addictive taste she had. All he knew was that it made him crazier the longer he kissed her, leaving him wanting more and more. Hot, fiery passion was flowing between them at such a rate, he didn't think either of them would be able to deny it._

' _No, stop Mike. Mike I'm not kidding right now.' He could tell she was trying to sound agitated, but instead it came out as breathless._

' _Make me,' he challenged her, before peppering her jaw with kisses. He just loved her skin, loved pressing his mouth firmly against the smooth, warm, silkiness of it-_

' _Oh my god, you need to stop. Mike!' This time she succeeded in pushing him away. He let her this time, sitting back with his hands still braced on her hips, smirking up at her as she sat there on his lap. Even in the dark, he could tell that her newly straightened hair was mussed, and her lipstick was completely gone. His lips tugged upwards._

 _She scowled at his smirk. 'What?'_

 _He shrugged, running his hands up and down her hips. 'You're spoiling the fun here, you know.'_

' _I can't stay. I have a curfew.'_

' _Yeah, don't girls always say that,' he chuckled, sitting up and pulling her against his chest. He brushed his lips against her throat. She sighed in irritation, although he felt her shiver at his touch. 'You're impossible.'_

' _Oh, believe me beautiful. I know,' he murmured, and nudged her neck with his nose, breathing in the scent of her. Man, he was getting a boner just by doing that. 'Shit, didn't anyone ever tell you how amazing you smell?'_

' _Oh for… I give up,' she said in exasperation._

' _Five minutes,' he implored her._

' _Didn't you hear me you idiot? I said I– oh. Oh god…'. Her retort turned into a whimper, as he captured her lips again. She immediately responded, kissing him back urgently as he wrapped his hands around her waist._

' _Fuck, you're beautiful,' he said roughly, scraping his teeth along her neck and biting her earlobe, making her elicit a sigh of pleasure._

* * *

A loud knocking interrupted Mike from his daydream. He scowled in irritation, heaving a sigh, and pulling on a pair of pants before making his way to the front door.

Not to his surprise, it was Will standing there on his porch, leaning against the doorframe. He furrowed his brows, his olive-green eyes scrutinising him. 'Glad to see you're up.'

'Only because you were banging on my front door as if you were trying to wake the dead, Byers,' Mike said impatiently. 'Can a man not get a few hours peace and quiet before he has to deal with whatever shit he gets landed with?'

Will gave a chuckle. 'In case you think you're alone there – I think sometimes, we all just want to hurl ourselves off the South Corner Bridge just to gain a little peace and quiet.'

Mike snorted, but swung the door open to let him in. Will walked in, his shoes crushing bits of leftover crackers and popcorn that were scattered all over the floor, making a satisfying crunching sound. He cast a glance at the untidy trailer, as Mike grabbed a couple of beers from his fridge and settled himself on a high chair at the counter. 'I see you're not going to tidy this place up any time soon.' Will remarked, catching the can as Mike threw it to him.

'Well you know me, Will,' he simply replied. 'Chaos and disorder is my specialty.' He smiled darkly, before taking a swig. Will leaned back against the counter, setting down his unopened beer as he folded his arms. 'So. Where were _you_ last night?'

Mike paused. 'Come again?'

'I said – where were you last night?'

He shrugged. 'I told you.' Mike downed the beer and flung it across the room where it landed with a clatter amongst the paperwork and old magazines. 'I went with the others to a party Lucas's girl was throwing. They all got high, I wasn't that bothered, so I just went home.'

Will narrowed his eyes. 'Is that so?'

Mike raised an eyebrow. 'What else is there to say?'

Will simply gave him a dry look. Mike just shrugged, getting up from his chair to go to the fridge. His friend wasn't stupid. Will always saw right through him, had been able to do so since they were kids. He knew exactly where he had been last night, and who had been with.

'You have to be vigilant.' Will told him quietly. 'I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but you have to be reasonable about this.' He paused, pressing his lips together. 'Do you understand the risks you're taking- '

'Relax, Byers.' He opened the door of the fridge. It was almost empty. He was going to have to take care of that, today hopefully. 'No one, other than you, knows about this. About her. Don't try make it even more complicated than it already is.'

'I know. I'm just saying. If – if anyone gets a wind of this- '

'No one is going to know,' Mike snapped, grabbing a milk from the fridge. 'I'll make sure of it. Stop being so paranoid. I'm taking pre-cautions. I know the risks.' He took a huge gulp from the carton, relishing the refreshingly cold milk, and put it back in the fridge door. He glared at Will. 'Is that all you came for? To warn me to be careful?'

Something changed in Will's expression at that moment. He got up from his leaning position and paced the space between the front door and the kitchen. Pinching his brow as he stared at the ground. Then he looked up, his anguished expression causing a jolt in Mike.

He got up from seat. 'The fuck happened Will?'

'They – the-,' he swallowed. Shaking his head slightly, as if pulling himself together, he started again. 'The deal… it fell through. They want to meet again.'

'What!?' Mike marched up to him. 'How? Why?'

'I don't know, but they want you to re-negotiate with them. Apparently, there's been some kind of - intervention.'

'Shit.' Mike growled, pacing the floor, his fists balled. 'When?'

'Didn't say.'

He ground his teeth, growling, 'Fuck. Okay, let me shower first. Then we can arrange whatever those high-class sons of bitches want with us.'

'I'll call St-. '

' _No_.' Mike barked furiously. ' _He_ does not to get involved. I can handle it. I've done it before, haven't I?'

Before Will could open his mouth, Mike had already slammed the bathroom door behind him.

* * *

El lay awake in bed, staring at a long crack in the ceiling for what seemed like forever. The memories of _him_ replaying in her mind over and over again. It didn't seem real, any of it. She couldn't fathom that those events had actually happened. He had told her – more than what she need to know. He had told her everything. He had showed his vulnerability to her, the raw, heart-breaking truth about himself. The fact that he trusted her with that personal information about his life… She rubbed the side of her head, squeezing her eyes shut. 'Shit,' she said into the darkness. She had no idea what to think of it, didn't see how he thought telling her about his – well his _parents_ \- was a good idea. But she was also – well, happy about it. Honoured that he had opened up to her of all people. It made a warm feeling flutter in her abdomen like little butterflies. She gave a little smile.

She didn't want to move from that spot, didn't want to get out of bed, didn't want to do anything that meant distracting her from the events of last night. All she wanted to do was lie there under the covers and never allow herself to leave.

But… It was seven am. She had housework and homework to do. Life had to go on, whether she liked it or not.

Heaving a sigh, she moved out from her warm bed, and made her way to the bathroom. She cleared her throat slightly. She could still taste him.

After washing her face, scrubbing at it until it was a practically tomato red, she turned to go. But something in her made her pause and revert back to her spot in front of the bathroom mirror.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror. What did he see in her anyway? She just couldn't see why anyone would be interested in her – let alone _him_. Whatever he said about her, thought about her… She just couldn't see it. She raised her fingers to her lips, remembering how he had kissed her with such fervour and intensity. A blush rose to her face.

He called her beautiful. It had been in the heat of the moment, yes but… No one had ever called her that before. Ever. It felt strange to look at herself in the mirror, that thin face, that too-pointed chin, her too many freckles, the ever-spreading acne, that slightly crooked nose and know that someone thought her to be beautiful. It was almost laughable.

When will she see him again? She had no idea. He had simply dropped her off at the end of the street, saying that she'll see him 'soon'. He hadn't even given her his number. Well – then again, she didn't either.

El's chest tightened as she remembered Max's gift to her. Her new phone. She didn't deserve her friend. At all.

She was going to have to hide the phone from Diane, keep it well out of sight. Luckily, she almost never came down to the basement, so there were plenty of places to hide it. The volume would have to be turned down of course. El shook her head, trying not to think about _her_ reaction if she ever did find it.

But there was no doubt that that would be nothing compared to what Diane would have in store for her if she ever found out about Mike.

* * *

'So.' Max dropped her bag on the floor of the bathroom that had now become their regular lunch spot at school and hopped on to the counter. Grinning at her mischievously.

El rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling a bit. 'Yes?'

Max wiggled her eyebrows, 'Aren't you going to tell me where you went off to the night of your birthday?'

'Hmm?' El pretended she was too busy peeling her banana.

'Don't play dumb, girl. Nic and Logan said someone told them that their friend saw you go off with a guy.'

'That's ridiculous,' El scoffed, even as she found her palms beginning to sweat a little bit. 'I wasn't with anyone.'

'You liar.'

'Max, I just went home.'

'Mm-hmm.'

'What, I'm telling the truth!'

'Yep, and I'm secretly Darth Vader.' She balanced her elbows on her thighs and leaned forwards towards El, her chin placed in between her hands. 'So, tell me. Was it that utter dreamboat of a new boy Josh?'

El spluttered. 'No! I mean no. Not him, I wasn't with him.'

'Oh, so you _were_ with someone. Come one El, dish the dirt! Who was it, this mystery guy? Did you make out?'

El couldn't look her in the eye. She bit her lip as Max let out a shriek. 'Oh my god! You did, didn't you! Holy shit, you need to tell me who it was.'

'I'm not going to say anything, Maxine.' El made the zipper motion on her lips.

'Woah, woah. Hold on a second now. Hold on one moment.' Max looked incredulous as she stared at El. Her mouth opened wide. 'Did you - do it?', she said in a loud whisper.

El choked on her banana, coughing and spluttering. She took in little gulps of air, trying to calm herself. She turned to her friend with watery eyes, and exclaimed, ' _What!_ No! _'_

'Sheesh, all right, all right, I was just asking.' Max held her hands up. But her eyes were still wide with shock, and grinning like the Cheshire Cat. She was practically jumping out of her seat with elation. 'You need to tell me. Every. Single. Detail. And I mean _all_ of them!'

The anxiety sat below her pleading smile as she said, 'Max, I'm not comfortable with this. It – I don't – I'm not comfortable telling you about – well the guy.' The guilt festered inside her as she thought about all her actions and words that she had kept from Max. It seemed dishonesty was becoming her full-time job now.

Max frowned. 'Why not?' She folded her arms. 'Friends tell each other everything, Miss Hopper. And I for one, find it slightly suspicious that you're so reluctant to tell me anything. Should I be worried?'

'No.'

'Are you trying to hide something from me?'

El's thoughts scattered as if there was an electrical storm brewing in her head. 'No! No, nothing like that. I swear Max. It – it's just- ', she broke off, sighing. 'It's complicated, okay?'

'All boys are complicated. Trust me, _I_ know.'

'I mean – it could have been just a one-time thing. I don't know.' El blew out a breath.

'Well, okay. It can be your little secret for now.' Max told her, reluctance in her tone. El sagged with relief.

' _But_ at some point, Ellie, darling,' Max continued, 'I'm going to have to know who this mystery man is. Plus, I don't want him to get in the way of our friendship. Or your studies. Is that a deal?'

She nodded. 'Okay. Deal.'

Max suddenly pulled a face, wincing and bringing a hand to her abdomen. El frowned. 'Everything okay, Max?'

She nodded, grimacing. 'Yup. It's just my fucking monthly cramps again. God, I wish they would just stop.'

'Tell me about it. It's like, gees uterus. No need to throw a temper tantrum just because there's not a baby growing in you,' El found herself giggling.

Max just stared at her. Looking a little surprised.

'Yep okay.' El looked away. 'I get it. It was a bad joke. Won't make it again.'

'No, no. It was a good joke. Really good, actually. It's just…' Max trailed off.

'What?' El inquired curiously.

'There's something different about you.' Max said, frowning slightly. 'Like – you're not the same as you used to be. You seem – brighter, somehow. Happier.'

El raised her eyebrows. 'You think?'

Max just nodded slowly, her head cocked to one side. 'Yeah. Definitely. I'd love it if you were like this more often.'

* * *

El made her way down the aisle in the little store, grabbing three cartons of milk. She was doing another errand for Diane, who was in a much happier mood than usual. She had mostly ignored her today, thank God, only giving her snide remarks. Perhaps it was because Sara had her friends over.

She let out a sigh, straightening her shoulders. According to Diane, her father was coming home in two, maybe three days. She knew she should be happy that he was coming home at all, but… She wasn't sure if she could face him, after what she just learned about him. And there was also the matter of that so-called secret he had been keeping from the family. El was afraid to know what it was. She didn't have a clue what her father was hiding from them, but if it was bad enough that Will outright refused to tell her…

She almost didn't catch the sudden hushed voices of other people in the shop. She looked up, frowning in confusion at the silence. It was almost as if a dark presence had entered the building.

And then he came around the corner at the end of the aisle. It was so unexpected that she almost dropped all three milk cartons that she was holding. She stopped breathing entirely as their eyes met.

Her heart pounded against her rib cage and she found herself squeezing her thighs together as he stared at her lustfully, smirking dangerously. He cocked his head, eyes piercing through her as he jutted his head in the other direction.

El understood what he meant. She gave a little nod. He smirked again, then turned and walked off. Trying to control her breathing, El grabbed the rest of the groceries and joined the queue of the checkout. She was distracted that she almost didn't notice that it was her turn to pay for her things.

Moments later, El walked around the back of the store, her legs trembling slightly as she caught sight of him. He was leaning against his motorcycle, giving her that alluring look. He grinned in that irresistible way, raising an eyebrow, 'Hey there.'

'Hey,' she said casually, even as butterflies fluttered in her stomach. Fuck, he was gorgeous.

'Missed me?', he said as he slowly prowled towards her, his dark eyes moving over her.

She shrugged a she put down her shopping against the wall, even as her heart did a tango in her chest. 'Maybe.'

He just smirked at her in that arrogant way and began to light a cigarette from a packet he had in his pocket. She couldn't help but stare at him as he did so, her eyes resting on that little flame flickering as he lit his cigarette.

He caught her looking, and he paused. Held the packet out to her. 'You want one?'

She opened her mouth to say no. But then stopped. _Try it,_ a little voice seemed to say. She took a deep breath. 'Yeah. Yeah sure. Okay. I'll try it.'

He raised an eyebrow, a wry smile on his face as he gave her the lighter. She took a cigarette out of the packet, holding it between her two fingers as she flicked the switch of the firelighter. She held it to the end of the cigarette but – either it was too windy, or the lighter was not having any of it, because it just wouldn't do its job. She lit it again, but still, the lighter refused to light the end of the cigarette. She sighed, trying not to let the frustration build in her.

'Here, I'll do it.' Mike took it from her, attempting to light it himself. With no avail, strangely. El felt ridiculously relieved, as it proved that the difficulty had nothing to do with her. Mike frowned in annoyance, as he continued to flick the lighter. 'You can just take mine,' he said, handing his own cigarette towards her, which he had already lit. Turning away slightly so he could light that other one. Her heart beat a little faster as she took the cigarette, and without a second thought, placed it in between her lips.

She inhaled slowly, letting the unfamiliar taste fill her throat, her lungs. She braced herself for the anticipated coughing fit that she knew came with every first time for smoking. Well, she mainly knew that from books, movies and TV shows. Which made El all the more surprised when that did not happen. Her lungs didn't react badly in any way. They didn't explode with heat, nor did she choke on the unfamiliar nicotine. She exhaled, lifting her head back and watching as the smoke flowed out of her mouth and into the clear air. It wasn't… what she had expected. Smoking.

She took slow, small inhalations of the nicotine, the smoke blanketing her lungs. There was almost something refreshing about it, something that seemed to relax her body. But there was definitely nothing appealing about the taste, that was for sure.

Mike watched her as he smoked too, leaning against his motorcycle. Smirking mischievously at her.

'Now that you've had a smoke,' he drawled, his darkened eyes slowly dragging over her body, 'How about a kiss.'

El gazed at him for a moment, stomach twisting in knots as she saw the hunger beneath that stare. Smiling slightly, she walked those two or three steps towards him. Dark satisfaction in his eyes, he tugged her to him the rest of the way by her hips and angled his lips on hers.

Pushing his tongue inside her, he kissed her fervently, and she forgot all about the cigarette still balanced between her fingers as she responded with equal enthusiasm. His mouth now reeked of cigarettes, but for once, she didn't care.

He pulled her closer against his body, moving his hands over her hips. As the kiss intensified, he moved his hands under her hoodie and gripped her waist firmly. Fondling the bare skin there appreciatively with his calloused hands. She let out a little sigh, her hands flat on his hard, muscled chest and gripped the leather of his jacket.

Their lips met over and over, sending wild tremors through her nerves. She gasped slightly as he bit down on her bottom lip. She felt him move his hands over her ass, gripping it firmly. And then slowly, as if unsure of what her reaction might be, slipped them underneath. Past her underwear.

She sighed in content through the kiss as he gripped her bare ass, moulding the skin under his large hands. He used this as leverage to pull her even closer, until El was practically clinging to him. Epiphany saturated her veins as he bit down on her bottom lip, letting out a sort of growl before crushing her lips with his again. He pressed kisses against the corners of her mouth, moving his mouth over her cheek in an almost tender manner.

After what could have been just a few minutes or perhaps thirty minutes, the kiss finally came to an end. He leaned his forehead against hers, giving her that satisfied little smirk again. 'Shit, you drive me crazy, babe. You know that right?'

El's heart skipped a beat at the name he just called her. But she just smiled up at him teasingly, 'I know.' She pressed her lips against his again, and he responded, flicking his tongue over her lips.

'One more thing.' She murmured as he dragged his lips over her jaw, her ear.

'Uh-huh?'

'Never give me a cigarette again. They're absolutely disgusting.'

He stopped kissing her skin, and suddenly burst into a harsh chuckle. He rolled his dark eyes to the sky and bit his lip. 'I knew you would hate it.'

She dropped the cigarette on the ground. 'Oh, all of a sudden, you think you know everything about me?'

'Absolutely.'

She snorted. 'You're insufferable.'

He just looked at her beneath his eyes, now glinting with amusement as he brought the cigarette to his lips.

As she watched him smoke, his hand now wrapped around her waist, she remembered how he had opened up to her that other night. Mike, this infamous biker, drug dealer and a gang leader – had let her see a side to him no one had ever seen before. A guy who had been abused relentlessly, to the breaking point. And yet he still found it in his heart to care, to retain some of his humanity.

Maybe it was time for her to share a piece of herself as well. As much as it terrified her – he deserved to know. She owed him.

'Mike?'

He looked down at her, giving her his full attention. 'Yeah?'

'You told me – about you.' She swallowed nervously. 'Why you are the way you are. And – and I think – I should probably tell you- '

'El, wait.' He cut her off, throwing his cigarette on the ground. 'You don't have to tell me anything, if you're not totally comfortable with it. I don't want to force you into telling me about you.' He brushed her sides reassuringly. 'There's no rush.'

'It's okay. I – I want to.' She bit her lip, looking down at her feet before looking up at his brooding, slightly confused face. 'I trust you Mike. Even – even though stupidly, I don't know your second name.'

'Byers.'

She started at that. 'What?'

'It's the name I've always gone by. I mean – I've lived with that family my whole life. And my Dad's name – it's not something that I use. I mean – well, I do. I do, but… Look, I just don't go by that name right now. It's always just been Mike. And – it'll be safer for you too, if you don't know. If that's okay with you?'

Looking at his apprehensive frown, she gently cupped his cheek, brushing her thumb over his cheekbone. 'It's absolutely okay with me,' she told him reassuringly. She paused for a moment, taking a deep breath, and relaxing her shoulders. 'But I mean it Mike. I do trust you. And I want to figure out why I am the way I am. I never knew exactly how it happened but- '

'I don't want to force y- '

'You're not. I promise. I – I want to tell you. I think that perhaps, it's time I should break my silence. Do you understand me?'

He fixed her with an unreadable expression, as if debating with himself. Then he nodded, brushing both thumbs over her waist. 'Take your time,' was all he said to her.

El allowed herself to take a moment to compose herself, closing her eyes and attempting to relieve herself of the tension in her stomach. _You can do this, El,_ she told herself silently. _He's here, and he won't judge you. He's going to listen you. Take your time._

After several moments, she opened her eyes. She focused on some distant trees behind them, their foliage moving in the soft breeze as she began, 'My mom and dad were never married. They were only together for a short period, but long enough to conceive me. But before my mom had even given birth to me, one day, my dad just up and left her. He claimed it wasn't working out, but in reality, he left her – for my step-mom, who was this wealthy, well-known politician and activist.'

She kept her gaze on a swaying tree branch that had a nest perched on it. 'My mom was a struggling writer. She always wrote, was always sending off drafts to agents and publishers. But her work was always rejected. Money was tight. We were living in one of those squalid residences by the West-side. We came close to being evicted several times. My mom begged my dad for some financial assistance. But my dad refused to help us. He had his new beautiful, affluent wife, and their new baby to think about. Plus, his reputation. His ex and his illegitimate kid didn't matter to him.'

Too nervous to look at Mike, she moved her gaze to the lapels of his leather jacket. 'But my mom did her best to raise me. I remember she used to read me stories and play imaginary games with me. A lot of the time she would read me passages from old classics like Jane Eyre or Little Women, even though I was always whining at her that they were too boring. We'd go to the park and just run around for hours. And she would point out all the different birds to me and tell me all their names.' El found herself smiling at the memories. 'Going to the cinema was like her special treat for me. We probably only went about three or four times a year, because we didn't have a lot of money, but it just made it even more special for us. She would go in and pay for herself, while I snuck in under the ticket desk while she was distracting the ticket seller. It worked every time.'

The smile faded from her face as she remembered darker times. She swallowed a lump in her throat. 'But - by the time I was six, her mental state was taking a toll on her. She had depression, so she would often stay at home and just cry all the time. She started drinking, forgot to clean the house, forgot to do the washing, forgot to take me to school. Sometimes she would leave me with a neighbour and disappear for the whole night.'

'It only got worse from then onwards. I never saw her with my own eyes, but she must have started taking crack, because…'

She took a deep breath. 'One day, she just decided, enough is enough. She just snapped completely. I don't remember a lot about that day. It's mostly hazy, but-'

The feeling of betrayal and hurt that had lingered for all those years crashed down on her, and she found herself clenching her fists, digging them into her palms.

She suddenly felt Mike grab her hands. He slipped his fingers through her fists, loosening her stiffened fingers and unclenching them. Brushing his thumbs reassuringly over them as he held her hands. And her heart melted at that feeling, his way of giving her comfort, of showing her that he was there for her. That he wouldn't judge.

And the next few words she uttered… it was something that she had refused to think about, refused to let her heart remember, refused to let herself accept that that was what her own mother did. What she tried to do. Her face flashed before her, her somewhat weary, but beautiful smile that made her eyes crinkle. The smile she would give anything to see again.

'My mom. She… she… she tried to commit - murder-suicide. With me.'

Silence. Just total utter silence. El could have sworn even the birds stopped their chirping the moment those poisonous words left her mouth. She stared at the dirt on the ground, moving some stones with her foot. A chill washed over her. She felt a hand grip her chin. Gently. Slowly, she looked back up at Mike. She breathed in and out. Afraid of what she might see.

His eyes were wide, his mouth parted slightly. But he nodded. Encouragingly.

She let out a breath. 'My mom – she overdosed the two of us. I'm not sure what she used exactly, but – it must have been in my food or drink. I don't remember her forcing anything into me. But the next thing I remember, we were in the car. She was driving us somewhere. I remember we were going pretty fast and… And then… then we got to the bridge. At the edge of town. The South Corner Bridge.'

She heard Mike take a sharp intake of breath. She didn't look at him as she continued. 'My mom – either on purpose, or due to her overdose perhaps it was accidental – lost control of the car. She drove into a truck and – both our car and the truck went careening off the bridge. We crashed into the river.'

'And I just remember water. So much water just filling up the car. And it was so goddamn cold too. I was scared. I didn't understand what was happening, why this was happening. I thought for sure that I was going to die.'

'But then… Something happened. I don't remember a lot of it, but –,' she shook her head, 'Someone saved me, that day. I remember being pulled out of the water and onto the shores. It's – all blurry. But I remember that person telling me that everything was going to be okay. I think – I think it was a him. Whether it was a boy or a man, I don't know. He promised me he wouldn't leave my side. And then I just remember waking up in hospital. That was when they told me that-'the words caught in her throat. She shut her eyes and pressed her lips tightly together as she said quietly, 'That my mom was dead.'

Mike was silent. She took a shaky breath. 'I never knew who it was. Who saved me that day. I tried to find out who it was. I looked at the newspapers, asked journalists, the police. I even tracked down some witnesses. But to no avail. No one knew who had saved me. Eventually I decided it was time to move on with my life and put it all behind me. I know now that I'll probably never know who it was. But I don't think I ever went a day without thinking about that person. Not even once. Even though I'm not religious – when I get the chance, I ask God to look out for my rescuer. Wherever he is.'

Finally, El loosened a breath. The feeling of finally telling someone about the most horrifying moment of her life – the moment that changed the course of her life forever – was liberating. Her body was so light, she felt like floating in the air. It was as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

'And it was after – that. When I realised that something was… different. Something about me felt wrong. I – I don't know how to explain it. I don't know exactly what caused it. Maybe I'll never know. But it was sometime after that night when I found out that I could – do things.'

There was silence for a few moments as she waited for Mike to say something. Finally, he broke the silence. 'El?'

She met his gaze again – and was taken aback at the pure, undiluted shock in his eyes. He blinked, and that look was gone, replaced by something darker, and colder. 'Yeah?'

'Listen – I just - somethings come up,' he stated in a cutting voice. 'Hydra business.' He gently, but firmly moved her away from him, his gaze penetrating her. 'There's some people that I need to meet, and… You can't be here for it. I need you to go home now.'

'But Mike-'

'I'm serious, El. It's too dangerous for you. You need to leave now.'

'Look whatever it is-'

'Look, I – ', he ran a hand through his unruly black locks. 'I'll see you later El, okay? Get home safe.'

'Wait – what?' El's mind was spinning.

'I swear, El, I can explain it all to you. But right now, I just need you to go home. Can you do that for me?'

She was so confused, her stomach knotted together all over again. He gripped her face. 'Please,' was all he said.

She sighed, disappointment flooding through her. He was doing this after – after what she had just told him? Was he fucking serious?

'Fine,' she said blandly. 'I guess I'll see you around.' She stepped out of his embrace, and without looking back at him, walked away, picking up the plastic bags of milk as she did so.

Her mind swimming with muddled thoughts, all jumping out at her all at once. She pushed it all down and blinked rapidly, pulling herself together. It was nothing, she told herself. Nothing. He didn't reject her, he just needed her to go home. He just wanted her to be safe. That's all.

Mike waited until she was out of earshot. He worked his jaw as he paced the ground, his hands pulling at his hair. His breathing was picking up. He dragged his hands over his face, pulling the skin down. He swore. Then he paced some more. He was shaking his head, repeating _no, no, no_ again and again.

'No.' He scrunched his eyebrows together in agony. 'No, no, God no.'

His brain was unable to formulate any thoughts, only that long buried memory flashing in his mind. A memory that he had kept completely hidden for more than a decade…

* * *

' _Whooo, I won!'_

' _What, no fair! You cheated Will!'_

' _Did not.'_

' _Did too.'_

' _I got to the tree first, fair and square!'_

 _Mike rolled his eyes at the argument between his two friends. They were standing at the edge of Hawkins woods, just by the main road, around fifty yards away from the river. In the distance, the bridge rose up, a stark difference to the shrubbery and greenery that populated this remote part of the town. The musical sound of chirping birds carried through the breeze, interrupted every now and then with the sound of a vehicle driving past._

 _Lucas stood beside him, grinning slightly. 'Nah, it was definitely Will. Ain't that right, Mike?'_

' _Sorry Dustin.' Mike said in a mocking voice. 'Looks like Will's the winner today.'_

' _What!' Dustin whirled on them. 'Okay. No. No no no. You guys can't be serious.'_

 _A roaring drowned out Dustin's protests as a truck drove past them. Mike couldn't help but laugh, as Dustin shoved Will, who immediately retaliated. Before long, the two of them were rolling in the dirt, punching each other, with Dustin yelling, 'Cheater! Cheater!'_

 _Lucas cracked up beside him, slapping his thighs as he laughed. 'Dude, my moneys on Dustin.'_

' _Oh yeah? Mine's on Will.'_

 _Lucas narrowed his eyes, 'You wanna bet on it? Okay. If I win, I'm getting fifty bucks off you.'_

 _Mike snorted. 'Well if I win, I'm getting your new X-Men comic.'_

' _Okay, th- wait, WHAT? NO!'_

 _Mike just sneered at him. 'Oh yeah, Sinclair.'_

 _And then, without any warning, that tranquil atmosphere was broken. There was a sudden screeching of tires, and several loud honks. All four boys turned, Dustin and Will pausing in their fist-fight just as an ear-splitting crash ripped through the air. Their attention focused on the nearby bridge. They watched, frozen with horror, as a car was rammed into a truck._

 _It happened so quickly, Mike didn't even have time to blink. The truck swerved, violently colliding with the barrier before breaking right through it and tipping off the bridge. With a groan, the truck fell into the deep, churning waters of the river, taking that car with it._

 _They stared, horror filling every pore of their bodies, as they watched the disaster unfold before their very eyes. They couldn't comprehend it, that this was really happening._

' _Holy – fuck.' Lucas breathed. All of them frozen with dread, unable to move from where they were standing._

 _Mike was the first one to react._

' _Go! Lucas, get help, call 911, do_ _something, now!', he roared. Lucas didn't hesitate before sprinting away down the road, as if he were being chased by a pack of dogs._

' _Dustin, Will, come on!' He didn't wait for them to respond before tearing down through the trees and towards the river._

' _Shit, shit, shit, shit,_ _ **SHIT**_ _!' Dustin panted behind them. 'Oh my god, oh my god, what are gonna do, what are we gonna do- '_

' _Shut the hell up, Dustin, you're not helping right now! There are people in the water!' Mike was racing down the rocky slope, leaping over larger rocks and boulders, slipping and sliding on the mud as he reached the edge of the river. Throwing off his jacket as he ran, leaving it lying amongst the rocks. The truck was sinking by its rear end into the waters. The car was still afloat, but barely. He had to get to it, get those people out. That is – if they were even still alive._

 _He raced into the water, gasping slightly at the cold. Jesus, it was freezing. The water surged around his skin, and his teeth chattered violently._

 _He ignored his protesting body at the cold temperature and splashed into the water, almost shrieking at the temperature and swam. He swam harder than he had ever swum before, gasping through the raging waters. Thank God, Jonathan taught him how to swim, despite his initial objection to the idea. He pushed onwards, kicking his legs behind him. He had to keep moving, otherwise his muscles were going to just give up._

 _The frigid, soaking fibres of his clothes were weighing him down as fought his way to the still floating car. He could feel Dustin flanking him as they splashed to the vehicle. Meanwhile, Will was desperately trying to see if he could help the person in the truck. The truck with a familiar logo. The nearby nuclear power plant. But he would worry about that later. Right now, he had to get to the car. Mike reached out and gripped the side of it, his fingers already feeling like icicles. The longer they stayed here, the more body heat they were going to lose. They had to move quickly._

 _There was a woman in the driver's seat, still conscious, and bleeding from her forehead. Mike pulled at the door, opening it. 'Are you okay? Can you hear me,' he gasped out. 'Listen, we're going to get you out. Guys, help me with her.' He fiddled with her seatbelt, trying to find the buckle._

' _No,' she rasped. He stopped, staring at her. She despairingly turned her head towards the back of the car. 'My-my baby. Help my baby. G-get her out. Please. Please save her.'_

 _Mike turned to where she was gesturing. In the backseat, a little girl was strapped in. She looked to be around six or seven years old. She seemed to be half-unconscious, and was shivering violently, whimpering slightly as the water rose up to her neck. This kid had to be his first priority, no doubt about that. He would come back for the woman after he had taken care of her._

 _Straight away, he moved to the door at the back and pulled at the handle. It wouldn't budge. Gritting his teeth, he pulled with all his might. Dustin appeared at his side, gasping and spluttering from the freezing water, and helped him heave it open._

 _The little girl opened her eyes blearily. 'Mommy,' she murmured helplessly._

 _He reached for her. Barely conscious, and gasping through her tears, she desperately tried to grapple onto his hands._

 _He heard Dustin scream a panicked warning at Mike before a powerful suction suddenly sent the car completely beneath the surface. Taking Mike with it._

 _Mike gasped, panic consuming him, water shooting into his lungs as he did so. It was so cold, and so dark he could barely see anything. He couldn't form any coherent thoughts, only that he couldn't breathe, and he was trapped, and they were sinking to the bottom of the river._

 _His longish hair rose up around him like seaweed. Desperately, he squinted through the obscure water, making out the shape of the little girl. Pressure was building in his lungs as they screamed for oxygen. But he fought it, desperately scrabbling for the buckle. Pushing down on it, he pulled the belt away from the now limp little girl and took her by the torso with both hands. With as much strength as he could muster, he swam upwards, pulling the little girl with him._

 _His head was pounding so hard it was sure it was going to explode. The light of the surface got nearer and nearer. God, she was so heavy. His limbs were beginning to lose energy, but he kept pushing, and pushing until-_

 _He broke the surface, gasping and wheezing, gulping down oxygen. The little girl was a dead weight in his arms, and he held on to her for dear life. Then he felt someone hold him from behind and someone else took some of the weight of the girl._

' _The-the woman-,' he managed to gasp out._

' _It's too late for her,' he heard Will say. 'We have to get to the shores quickly. NOW!'_

 _With all three of them combined, they exhaustedly put in all their energy into swimming and made their way to the banks of the river. Sopping wet they crawled onto the shore. All the energy had gone out from Mike, but he found the strength to lie the little girl down on the gravel. Immediately checking if she was breathing._

 _She wasn't._

' _Fuck. Fuck, guys, she's not breathing, she's not- '_

 _At that moment, the little girl gasped, water spilling from her throat as she coughed and spluttered._

' _Shit. Shit, oh god, okay.' Mike grabbed the jacket he had thrown off minutes earlier and wrapped her in it. She shivered, broken little sobs emanating from her. Mike cradled her head in his lap, stroking her head. 'Hey, hey breathe, kid. Are you okay there? Hey, can you hear me? Are you hurt?'_

 _Her expression was full of fear as she stared at him. 'Where- where's my mom?'_

' _Sshh. Sshh, just calm down okay? Just breathe.'_

' _My mom,' she cried out weakly. 'Where – my mom!'_

' _Listen to me. Look at me. Hey - look at me. You're gonna be okay. Everything's going to be okay, I swear. There's help coming, I promise. They're going to help you, okay?'_

' _Where's my mom!' He knew that she was as scared as any adult would be in the forest at night time._

' _Shh, they're gonna help your mom too,' Mike reassured her, even as he felt his chest tighten at the lie. But he had to reassure her, make her believe that everything was okay. That was all he could do. 'Just breathe, okay? Can you do that for me?'_

 _She nodded weakly, her brown eyes droopy as she gazed at him. He smiled at her reassuringly, nodding as he repeated, 'In and out, in and out. Good, you're doing great. You're doing so good.'_

 _She did as she was asked, breathing in and out. Her breathing slowed down gradually, and she laid her head in his arm, her hands tightly entwined with his sopping sweater. He cradled her too him, rubbing her back._

' _Okay, listen. I'm going to stay with you now, okay? You're safe now.' He could feel Dustin and Will watching him as they sat by his side. 'These are my friends Dustin and Will. And my name is Mike. Short for Michael, but you can just call me Mike, okay?'_

 _She nodded wearily, attempting to sit up. He gently, but firmly prevented her from doing so. 'No, no, no, stay down, okay? You have to stay down.' He stroked her head again. 'We have to wait until help arrives. Okay, kid?'_

 _She nodded, reluctantly settling back in his arms. He rubbed her arms through the jacket, trying to keep her warm. He smiled gently down at her, letting her see that she had nothing to be afraid of, that she was safe with him. 'Hey, you're okay now, you're okay. What's your name, huh?'_

 _She coughed slightly and said through her shivers. 'Umm it's J- umm,' she shivered again, 'P-people call me El-even.'_

 _Did he just hear that right? He saw Will and Dustin exchange looks out of the corner of his eye, but he just ignored them. 'Eleven?' He grinned. 'That's an awesome name. Why do people call you that?'_

' _M-my mom said it's because I was born on the eleventh of the month, at exactly 11:11 am,' she recited, a hint of pride in her shaky voice._

' _That is so cool. You have an amazing name. It's like superhero name or something. Do you know what a superhero is?'_

 _She blinked up a him, 'You mean like X-Men?'_

' _Yeah, yeah exactly like X-Men! Do you like them?'_

' _M-my mom and I w-watch the movies all the time. We saw one in the c-cinema once.'_

' _Wow. Who's your favourite?'_

' _Ummm…', she looked unsure. 'Um – I think maybe – could be umm… Storm or uhhh – Wolverine?'_

' _Huh, what a coincidence. I like Wolverine too.'_

' _I really want to have powers like Storm. So, I can make mean people stop being mean to me and Mom.'_

 _He chuckled at that and looked up, just as he heard sirens sounding in the distance. He felt relief flow through him. 'You hear that Eleven? Hey, do hear that? Help is coming. Everything's gonna be okay, got that? You're going to be just fine. Help is here.'_

' _Don't leave.' Her little voice came out as a croak. He gently stroked her cheek in a reassuring manner, brushing her soaking hair away from her face. Her wide brown eyes so scared and vulnerable looking._

 _And Mike's heart broke at that moment. She was so lost and so scared. So alone. That's when he made the decision at that very moment, that he wasn't going to leave her side. At all. 'I won't leave you. I promise. I'm going to stay with you, and we're going to make you better. I'm not leaving you alone, Eleven.'_

 _He repeated that to her, again and again through his own chattering teeth, for the next few minutes. Stroking her face and whispering to her. Slowly, her eyes began to close, wet eyelashes fluttering every now and then._

 _The next thing he knew, they were surrounded by paramedics, with fire-fighters racing into the water. He let some people gently take the little girl from him and put her on a stretcher. But when he tried to follow them, a couple of paramedics held him back. Telling him to go no further._

' _What are you doing.' He shoved at them, craning his neck to see where they were taking her. 'Hey._ _ **Hey!**_ _What are you doing? I have to go with her, she needs me, I have to- let me go,' he was yelling, anger boiling in him. He could feel someone, a police-officer, a paramedic he didn't know, holding him back. 'LET ME GO! I have to go with her. She needs me! Let go of me you asshole! LET GO!'_

' _Mike.' He felt someone touch his shoulders._

 _And it was the sound of that voice that made him stop and whirl around. Warm, concerned brown eyes met his._

' _Joyce, Joyce, they're taking her away, and - and I have to go with them, I-I promised her that I wouldn't leave her and – and – '._

' _Mike. Mike, listen to me.' She pulled him into her, wrapping a blanket around him. 'It's okay. Let her go.'_

' _No,' he shouted, fury boiling through him. 'She needs me.' All he could see was them taking her away, into that ambulance and he had to go with them, he had to go with her, he had to stay-_

' _Michael. It's for the best,' Joyce said gently. Holding him against her gently, but firmly. 'They'll take care of her.'_

' _No!' He couldn't,_ _ **wouldn't**_ _fathom it, the thought of never seeing her again. He had to know that she was going to be okay, he had to be there to hold her hand, just like he promised. He told her he wouldn't leave, that he would stay with her, look after her. And yet here he was, watching as strange people hurried her away on a stretcher. He struggled against her desperately. 'Joyce, no I have to go with her. You don't understand. Let me go. Let me go right now. LET ME GO!'_

 _He was screaming now, yelling and raging and using words that this compassionate woman did not deserve to hear from him._

' _Let me go,' he begged, the fight leaving him. He could feel the tears of anger welling up in his eyes. He didn't want to give up, he wanted to keep struggling. He wanted to fight his way to her._

' _Let her go,' Joyce whispered a she held him, stroking his hair. 'You've been so brave. So unbelievably brave, Michael. And believe me when I say this – it's for the best. For her. And for you.'_

' _She needs me.' It came out as a quiet sob as he finally let the tears fall. His heart was shattering inside as all his washed through him like a tidal wave. He shook, as he slowly began to break down. 'She needs me.'_

' _Right now, she has everything she needs. You've done your part, Mike.'_

 _And Mike knew in his heart, despite his outright fury, that she was right. He done his part. But…_

' _I promised,' he told her in a broken voice. 'I promised her, that I wouldn't leave that I would stay with her- '_

' _I know, baby. I know.' He buried his face in her shoulder as she held him tightly. She murmured onto his hair. 'But she's okay now. They're going to take care of her, Mike. Okay?'_

 _And so, he simply watched, as the stretcher with that too small figure was wheeled by the medics into the ambulance. Just before the doors closed however, he saw the little girl attempt to sit up. Her eyes finding his. And he could have sworn he saw her reach a limp arm towards him, before the doors slammed shit, blocking her from his view forever. The screaming siren continuing to ring in his ears hours after that ambulance disappeared._

* * *

It was a million to one. The odds were next to impossible.

And yet this was happening. This was really happening to him.

He buried his face in his hands. 'Fuck,' Mike whispered.


	10. Chapter 10

**Well, what can I say?**

 **I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. A hundred, thousand million times. It has been months since I last posted.**

 **My excuse this time is this - I simply did not have any time. At all. Luckily, I have more time for writing now that my exams are finished.**

 **So now I can write about my reaction about the Stranger Things 3 trailer.**

 **Oh. My. GOD!**

 **It is - I have no words to describe how perfect it is. I was just completely unprepared for it. I actually heard about the trailer coming out on the radio, which is weird for one thing, because I always hear about news like that on my phone. But they started talking about Stranger Things, and I was like oh it must be their random subject of the day. But then they were like, 'Yes the official trailer has been released' and then they played a clip of it and I just had an absolute meltdown! Everyone was like, 'Wow, calm down'.**

 **Oh my god, the trailer is just EVERYTHING I could have hoped for! And more! Mileven! Max and Eleven friendship! New Upside Down monster! Oh my heart is so full of love for this show. Also, I am currently living for that Dustin and Steve handshake.**

 **What else happened? Well, I saw Captain Marvel, and I just loved it. Brie Larson's so badass in it. I think I preferred Wonder Woman, but I still recommend it! Also the cat was my favourite character.**

 **Any good book recommendations? At the moment, my current book obsession is 'Cleopatra's Daughter' by Michelle Moran. It is just SO good. I'm serious, it needs to be made into a film. Cleopatra Selene's life was so fascinating! If you don't know who she is, she's the daughter of Queen Cleopatra. So I totally recommend this book to anyone who is interested in history, or historical fiction.**

 **Who else here is excited for GOT Season 8? Can't WAIT!**

 **Also to everyone who offered advice about Latin characters, I would love to hear it from you. You can just put it in the comments if you like! Also, a special thank you to shoulbslee. I loved your advice, I really appreciated it!**

 **Just one more thing. At the moment, I don't want to give my name on social media yet. I got a bit of a scare a few months ago. Some of my social media accounts got hacked. It's all sorted now, but I'm going to be more careful in the future. At some point, I'll put up my name. Just not yet.**

 **Thank you guys for being so patient. Love you! X**

* * *

"Where are my car keys?"

El snapped out of her day dream, almost dropping the plate she was putting away in the cupboard and whirled around. Diane was marching around the kitchen determinedly, her pretty, made up face set in a hideous scowl. Her heels clacked against the tile floor as she walked around aimlessly, checking and scrutinizing random corners. "Well? Aren't you going to answer me?", she snapped at El, not even turning her head in her direction as she spoke. "Where. Are. My. CAR! KEYS!"

El just stared at her in disbelief, glancing at the small black and silver object that her step-mother was yelling about, sitting on the counter at the centre of the room. Diane was in such a mood, she hadn't even looked in the most obvious place.

"You hid them, didn't you?" She fixed El with a furious stare, her cold eyes narrowing. "Where are they? _What did you do with them?"_

El gripped the counter as she flinched. "They're-they're on the counter."

"You lying little bitch," Diane hissed at her. "If they were on the counter, _don't you think I would have seen them by now_?" Her screech filled the entire house, practically splitting El's ears open.

El swallowed. "But they are, they- "

" _What did I say about answering me back, young lady!"_

Answering her back? _What?_

Suddenly, something in El snapped. Before she could stop herself, she marched from her place beside the open dishwasher towards the counter and snatched up the car keys, holding them up for her to see. "They're right _here,"_ she said impatiently.

Diane seemed to freeze, eyes darting from the counter to the keys. But in a second her shock was gone - and it was replaced with undisguised rage.

" _I didn't see them!",_ she screamed, spit flying out of her mouth. Her eyes were wide and crazed looking as she marched towards her. " _How dare you speak to me like that!"_

Before El could blink, Diane suddenly grabbed a hank of her hair and yanked hard. El's head snapped sideways, and she cried out as her temple made impact with the edge of the counter.

Before she had time to register the sharp aching on her temple, she felt the edge of the marble counter make impact with her head again, more forcefully this time. El hissed as she felt a stinging sensation, as well as a horrible dizziness come over her. She stumbled onto the ground, clutching her temple, her vision blurring slightly.

"Remember who you're speaking to, you spoilt little brat. Your disrespect towards me is absolutely disgusting, and I won't tolerate it. Any of it!"

El barely registered what she was saying, as she was trying to concentrate on focusing her vision, to no avail. Black spots were dancing before her, and her temple was throbbing badly as she felt a bump slowly beginning to swell up.

"Finish your chores," she heard Diane snap. "I will be back within an hour." El heard the jangle of car keys and the sound of her heels clacking on the ground fading away a she left the room. The front door slammed, before she heard the familiar roar of Diane's car engine starting up.

El squeezed her eyes shut, trying to shut out that familiar wave of numbness that was coming over her. Her eyes burned, but she withheld from letting any tears fall. Those tears would be wasted anyway. She just felt – helpless. So utterly weak and helpless. And it angered her so much more than her step-mother's abuse.

El groaned, struggling to her feet as she slowly made her way to the basement.

After grabbing a bag of frozen peas, she sat down in her bedroom as she held it to her head. Slowly the pain subsided, and the swelling went down. She looked down at the piles of school books beside her bed and sighed. Despite everything that was happening, she still had to focus on schoolwork. School was perhaps the only distraction in her life. Of course, El also tried her hardest in school because Diane absolutely refused to have it any other way. She has to succeed - or face the consequences. But - doing well in school was perhaps the only way to get her some measure of respect in this house. It gave her father a reason to talk to her. It also didn't hurt that Sara had flunked several subjects the previous year, which caused the school to organise a meeting with Jim and Diane to discuss their daughter's lack of effort in school. That was the only time she had ever seen Sara get into serious trouble.

As for El – she couldn't remember the last time she had failed a test. All she wanted to do was succeed and excel in her subjects. On several occasions, El would hand up a project several days before the deadline, while the rest of her classmates would likely leave their own assignments until the very last minute.

By doing her absolute best in school, she would have a better chance of getting into college.

There was also the matter of the money her mother had left her.

It was all tucked away in a bank account, and it would all go to her on the day she turns eighteen. It wasn't a humongous amount, but it was enough – hopefully – for her to get to college. Away from here. If not college, then it was definitely enough for her to move to another state, get a flat, and then her own job. She didn't care if she ended up working in a McDonalds for the rest of her life. She didn't care, as long as she was far, far away from this place. From _her._

Still, though… El moved off her bed to reach beneath her mattress. She pulled out a crumpled brochure that she had had for several years. An out-of-date brochure for the Juilliard School.

It had been a life-long dream of hers – to get into this prestigious school. It was so fucking far-fetched that El still couldn't understand why she still held onto it. Maybe it was because it was one of the only sources of comforts she had now.

It was never going to happen. But it was a lovely dream all the same.

* * *

"Jesus, El. You must have had one hell of a wallop," Max remarked, shaking her head at the plaster on El's temple. "Does it hurt?"

El shook her head as she pulled books out of her locker. It was the end of the school day, with their last class just finishing up a few minutes ago. "I'm fine Max. I just slipped."

She had been avoiding Max's comments on her head all day, instead distracting her with questions about their plans that night. They were meeting up with Shelby and Logan to go to a nightclub in the Westside. Apparently, Max was friendly with the bouncers there. Diane was having dinner with the mayor and his family and wouldn't be home until late. It was a huge risk, one that El wasn't usually willing to take. But she was determined to go out tonight. She couldn't wait any longer. She had to see him. If there was anywhere he could be, it was probably Westside nightclub.

Max looked uncomfortable. "Seriously though, if it does hurt we can cancel tonight- "

"No." El shut her locker and turned to face her friend. "We're _not_ cancelling tonight. We're going out, like we planned. Shelby and Logan are going to be disappointed if we don't go."

"Well, yes, but this is concerning your _health- "_

"Max." El looked straight into her eyes. "I'm not going to repeat myself. I'm. Fine. Perfect. Great. I'll be able for it. It's going to be a good night. You and the others keep saying that I need to get out of my comfort zone more often. So that's what I'm doing. Spending time with you guys and just having fun."

Max stared at her for a moment, still looking slightly worried. But she nodded. "Okay, then El. I trust you to know yourself whether or not you're able for something."

Lies and more lies. The whole reason she wanted to risk going out to the Westside again, was so she could – see him.

She needed a real explanation from him. After what happened that previous night… El knew she had to talk to him. He told her to go because he had a meeting, was what he said. And that was probably all it was.

But El couldn't help but remember the look on his face when she had finished telling him his story. He looked – he looked almost as though he had seen a ghost. She wasn't sure but… Something she said seemed to have triggered something in him. Something about this just didn't feel right…

She shook her head. No, she was being stupid. He was agitated that night because he was going to a gang-related meeting and he didn't want her involved. That was all.

Max pushed open the front double doors of the school and stepped outside into the sun. "How's your dad anyways? Is he coming home yet?"

"The day after tomorrow," El answered. Which was a good thing. Wasn't it?

Max smiled at her. "Good to hear, honey."

El managed a smile back, but at the same time butterflies were fluttering violently in her stomach. After she had gone back to the house that evening, it had struck her that she hadn't even questioned Mike about - about her father's big secret. A secret so big apparently, that Mike had thought she couldn't handle it, and forbade even his closest friend from telling her.

He was wrong though. No matter how bad it was, she could handle it. Although she couldn't think for the life of her what her father was doing on the side that was so terrible. He was a cop. They enforced the law.

Cops weren't perfect, she knew that. Including her dad. And after hearing about Will's mother…

If her father was capable of playing dirty to get what he wanted, what else was he capable of?

No more secrets, she decided. From now on, he was going to be honest with her. She'd make him.

Even if that made her a total fucking hypocrite.

But he couldn't know. About her life. He just – he couldn't. Any of it. She had told him enough already. Just the fact that she had told him about her mother-

Her chest tightened. It scared her that she felt safe around him, safe enough to tell him things that she had never ever told a single soul. It terrified El that a part of her wanted to tell him everything.

He was the most attractive, devastatingly handsome guy she had ever met. That gorgeous jet-black hair. His dark piercing eyes. His sensual, wry smile. And oh god, those _cheekbones_. His looks rivalled that of any guy who ever made the magazine cover for the Sexiest Man Alive.

And not only that. He was kind, gentle, caring – all right, at first, she had been intimidated by him. But afterwards... He had saved her life God knows how many times. He looked out for, he helped her, he listened to her. He had shown her more consideration than her own father had shown her during her entire lifetime. But that didn't mean of course that she was-

She froze, immediately pushing that thought away from her head. No. Just no. She didn't have time for silly, idle thoughts like that.

Then again – he had shown her his more vulnerable side. He had shown her that he wasn't the monster everyone thought he was, how broken he was inside. He had saved her, more times than she could count now. And the way he looked at her…

 _Stop it,_ she told herself. _You're setting yourself up for something you can't have in your life._

She knew that no matter how strong her feelings were about him, that at some point it just wasn't going to work out. They were two completely different people. Soon she was going to get out of here and leave her life in Hawkins behind. Leave _him_ behind. It was dangerous enough that she was even risking this – this – whatever it was.

What was it then? 'Affair' was too strong a word to describe what they had, more suited for the likes of Bill Clinton and his endless string of flings with other women. But her and Mike - they were being secretive about it. So secret, in fact, that she couldn't possibly call him her boy-

Okay, okay, hold on. She was getting a bit to far ahead of herself here.

Max had started jabbering away about some incident in her chemistry class where someone almost set the teacher on fire. El nodded repeatedly, pretending to listen to her.

Tonight, she was going to find him. And she wasn't going to leave, until he told her what he knew about her father.

* * *

The evening was relatively mild, with only a slight breeze blowing in the air. The sky was one shade away from reaching a totally black colour and the stars were already visible through the wispy clouds. El tucked her navy bomber jacket to her body. The club – if you could even call it that – was in a warehouse similar to that other building where the public fighting matches took place. And where Mike first – well – when they first kissed.

El shivered at the memory. It had been pretty intense no doubt about that. But she wouldn't trade it for anything.

Through the windows, they could see multicoloured lights illuminated through it. A steady beat from the music in there vibrated through her ears. At the doors, there was a long queue of people waiting to get in, but Max walked right past them, leading them straight to the top of the barriers. The bouncers at the door were checking people's ID's as they went in. El tensed up when she saw this. Despite Max's assurances that she knew the bouncers here, El was still worried.

But those fears were evaporated when one of the men checking people's ID's caught sight of them and waved them over. Max grinned as she went up to him. "Hey Martin. How's the family doing?"

"Max, how are you?" The man was around fifty, with sandy brown hair and a kindly smile. "We're great, thank God. The usual I suppose. Here, go on in. There's a bit of a crowd tonight, so I'd be careful with your purses in there."

"You're a pal, Martin," Max grinned.

He nodded at them as he pushed the barrier aside to let them in. "Say hello to your mother for me."

"Will do. Thanks man."

The scent of alcohol and sweaty bodies filled her nostrils. Lights of every colour flashed down on the crowd of people dancing away to hip hop music, illuminating individual faces. The DJ was on a stage at the other end of the room.

El moved through the crowd, craning her neck. There had to be about 200 people here. Mike had to be here somewhere. She knew how ridiculous it was that she kept relying on luck and chance for their meetings, but… She had no other choice. She had to be as discrete as possible. Besides, it was a nightclub. If there was anywhere he'd go for a night out, it was here.

"Who's up for tequila?" Max shouted excitedly.

"Me!" Shelby yelped excitedly, and immediately started making her way to the bar, followed by Max and Logan.

El bit her lip. Maybe he wasn't here. She folded her arms, trying not to feel too disappointed.

She was about to follow them, when suddenly she felt an arm snake around her waist, the scent of a mixture of sweat and cologne hit her senses, and she heard that familiar husky voice in her ear that made her insides melt. "Hey baby."

She turned to see _him_ looking down at her with that familiar devilish smirk, sporting his signature jacket. El automatically felt a smile creep over her face. She opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, he removed his arm from her waist and strolled past her. She watched, slightly confused as he walked a few yards through the throngs of people. Did he want her to follow him? Her thoughts were confirmed when he looked back at her, and made a slight jerk with his head, before making his way through the crowd.

El felt her insides relax internally. She looked around quickly. Anyone could be watching, she reminded herself. Plastering a bored look on her face, she made her way through the crowd, using a different path to follow Mike. She saw him disappear into a side door near the bar area.

Slowly she made her way through dancing groups of people, edging past couples making out on the dance floor.

No sooner had she opened the door and stepped outside into the darkened corridor, then she immediately felt his lips crushing hers, hot and needy. He pulled her to him by the waist and his muscled body pushed her back against the hard wall. She immediately melted into the kiss, wrapping one arm around his back and burying the other in that gorgeous dark hair.

His tongue swept in, and she groaned as the kiss became more desperate. Just as he was edging his fingers into the pockets of her jeans, she remembered with a jolt the real reason why she was here.

"Wait," she pulled away reluctantly. Judging from the look on his face, he was annoyed that she had interrupted their little moment. "Mike, I - we need to talk."

* * *

He didn't want to. Anything but this.

"What about?", he said in a matter of fact way.

She brushed a strand of hair from her face, looking slightly nervous. "We promised each other that we'd be honest with one another, right? Well I need you to be honest with me. Okay?"

"What is it you want me to say?"

She took a deep breath. "Just, listen okay? I'm going to ask you something - and you're going to answer. Truthfully. Deal?"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. There was no escaping this. She was going to ask him about why he made her leave that other day. He was going to have to tell her. She deserved to know. Mike would have given anything to get out of this situation. The fact that they had – met – when they were kids – and in _that circumstance…_

He would never have guessed it, not in a million years. By some trick of fate or God or whatever supernatural force that was currently overseeing their lives, they had met again.

"Mike, I need you to tell me what exactly you know about my dad. What he's covering up."

He stared at her. No this was worse. Definitely worse.

Jesus, he had almost forgotten about that. With her father, what that bastard had been doing on the side… He shoved that awful thought from his mind. Fuck, was he actually considering telling her this? No it was too messed up it-

He looked at her, this beautiful girl who had filled his thoughts day and night. She had listened to him. She understood him. Hell, she wasn't even afraid of him. He never had a girlfriend before who was-

Girlfriend? What – is that what she was? He shook that thought out of his head. No, there was no time for that right now.

He could tell her. He made a promise that he was going to be honest with her. And he badly wanted to keep it.

But just the image of those angelic eyes filling up with tears of horror, a stricken expression on her face, was enough to haunt him. And he knew he couldn't tell her.

"No."

She stared daggers at him. "Why not."

Well, there was no point lying to her about it. "Because you won't be able to handle it."

"And what makes you think that?" She folded her arms, agitated. "Mike, I need to know. This is my dad we're talking about. Please!"

He made a low growl of frustration. "I'm not going to tell you, and that is final. Believe me, it's better for you if you don't know. I can't have you in on this as well."

"Mike, I need you to tell me what you know about my dad. Please!" She gripped his face, forcing him to look at her. "I can handle it. I swear, just tell me."

He closed his eyes for a moment. "Jesus Christ El, I'm not talking about a fucking embezzlement or a simple fraud. This is something that-." He caught sight of something out of the corner of his eye as he spoke.

Her sleeve had slipped down slightly, exposing some of her skin. And there was a long red scab on her wrist. No, two scabs, side by side. Long and precise. As if – unless he was mistaken…

His voice trailed off.

Her heard El say something to him, but he wasn't paying attention. He felt something inside him go still and cold. She followed his gaze to her wrist and stiffened.

"The fuck?", he heard himself mutter.

El took a sharp intake of breath and whipped her arm back, but his hand shot out, snatching her wrist. She made a whimpering noise as he pulled her sleeve back sharply. Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw.

Her entire arm was covered in long, clean cuts. Red, deep and grotesque. Some were clearly older, no more than scars. But most of them looked new, as if – as if -

His breathing grew heavier. "What the fuck is this, El?"

"It-it's nothing, let go-." She attempted to pull her arm out of his grasp, to no avail. He gripped her arm even tighter, as if it was the only thing that was anchoring him to the ground. It might as well have been.

Those cuts on her arm – there were fucking _dozens_ of them. As if she kept cutting open the same ones over and over again. Jesus, how long – how long had she been _doing_ this-

"El – did – did you do this to yourself?" His voice rose. He ran his eyes over her arm, smoothing his fingers over them. Checking that this wasn't a damn hallucination. Because it had to be, otherwise he would have noticed. He would have fucking _noticed-_

"Mike, let _go- "_

He couldn't hold it in anymore. "Answer my fucking question! _Did you do this to yourself!"_

"Let go of my fucking arm!", she shouted, suddenly shoving him away with astonishing strength, not enough to make him stumble, but hard enough to force him to let go. She pulled her arm away from his grasp, stumbling away in a rush.

She was – she was doing this to herself. And he had been too caught up with himself to see the fucking signs. He could tell that there was something off about her, but he could never put his finger on it. Here was the ugly truth spread out before him, harsh and unyielding.

"How could _keep_ this from me," he said in a low voice. "We said we were going to be fucking _honest_ with one another! What's the goddamn point me making that promise to you, when you're fucking hiding – hiding – this _shit_ from me!"

El seemed too terrified to answer, staring at him wide-eyed. Mike suddenly had a flashback to when they had first met in the pouring rain. He had reminded her of a deer in the headlights.

He was using all of his will power to stay composed. "El," he spoke in a low voice. "Listen to me, okay." He took a step towards her, but she flinched back. "You-you can't keep doing this to yourself. You just can't."

"Shut up," her voice was shaking.

"El I can help. You need help, you need to _talk_ to someone about this-. "

"No." She was shaking her head rapidly. "No, I don't need to, I'm _fine-. "_

Anger welled up in his chest and he clenched his fists. "Don't fucking lie to me, El. You're clearly not fine, and you know it!"

"This is none of your business," she spat. Her outright coldness took him aback. He had never seen her this – mad. Like she was angry at him for invading her personal space. It infuriated him.

"Oh, you think you have it bad?", he snarled at her, eyes flashing with fury and almost choking with rage. "You think you're the only one in this world who's suffering?" For the first time ever, he had no control over what came out of his mouth when he spoke to her. He walked right up to El, leaving a centimetre of space between them. She paled slightly at his look but didn't back down.

He stared right into her eyes. "Well let me tell you something sweetheart. You - haven't - a - _fucking_ \- clue. You hear me?"

His voice was guttural as he spoke. "See, there's a huge fucking difference between you and me. You live in a fucking mansion, where you get hot dinners every night, a warm bed, and a good education. I live in a shitty trailer park, I live mostly on takeaways, and I dropped out of school when I was sixteen. You have it fucking _lucky_ next to me."

"Your dad ignores you, I get that that's shitty. My dad would come home every night and beat the shit out of me whenever he felt like it. Your mom died, but at least she _loved_ you. My mom didn't give two flying fucks about me. She dumped me the first chance she got. And plus. Every day, for me was about surviving. Every day, I wondered if someone was just going to finish me off. But you know what? I just said, 'Fuck that'. I'll show these fuckers. I'm going to show them that I'm _worthy_ of living. But you? You're just going to throw your whole life away? You – sweetheart - have no idea what its truly like to have a fucked up life. You have no idea what it was like for me, with my dad, with the whole fucking gang. If you were in my shoes, you wouldn't have survived two days!"

El was standing very, very still, her arm still clutched to her chest as if she was afraid it was going to fall off. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

Some part of Mike knew that he wasn't handling this situation right. That he had to stop right now, before he made things worse. He was already making it worse, for himself _and_ for her.

But he didn't care. He was just too irate to give a shit about anything at that very moment. He was so angry, he couldn't think straight. Because he just couldn't understand why someone would want to hurt themselves like that. Why someone as beautiful as her would even _think_ about-

It made him want to punch a hole in that brick wall.

Ragged breaths were coming out of Mike's mouth. "You see, princess?", he hissed at her. "Don't you see how fucking lucky you are? I got fucked up my _whole_ life. Every day, I would wake up wondering what my old man was going to do to me and knowing that there was no escaping him. So, don't you dare stand there, and selfishly act like your life is a fucking misery compared to everyone else's. You don't know _shit_ , El! Because you wouldn't know the true meaning of fucking abuse even if it hit you in the _goddamn_ _face!"_

The moment those words were out of his mouth, he regretted them.

There was such a silence coming from her, such a dead silence.

She just stared at him, unmoving, with no emotion in her expression.

And just looking into those eyes, those beautiful eyes that were now looking at him lifelessly, as if he had broken her, betrayed her… It dawned on Mike at that very moment that he had genuinely and irrevocably fucked everything up.

She spoke quietly to him, but with enough venom to make him flinch hard. "Fuck you, Mike."

Mike was rooted to the spot as El shoved past him, slamming the door behind her. It took about ten seconds for him to jump into action. He rushed to the door, pulling it open and immediately scanned the crowd. But it had somehow gotten even more crowded during the last ten minutes, if that was even possible. Mike shoved his way through the throngs of people, desperately looking for a head of brunette curls. _Fuck, fuck, fuck, what the fuck was he thinking-?_

Dustin appeared before him, holding a can of beer.

"Yo, boss, what's going on?", he crowed in a drunken manner. "Man, I just got with the _hottest_ girl- "

"Henderson, did you see a brunette girl wearing a navy jacket pass you by just now?

Dustin frowned. "Um. No, I don't think so. Don't remember. Why, are you looking for someone?"

Mike ignored him, pushing his way through the crowd, growling in frustration as he scanned the place for her. Just fucking great. He just screwed everything up.

Some girl in a mini dress sidled up to him, staring at him with lust-filled eyes, but he barely noticed, shoving past her as if she was nothing more than a stray dog.

He pushed his way through the crowd, snarling in agitation when he still couldn't spot her. No way in hell could she have gotten out this fast.

But… She was nowhere to be seen. Unless…

Mike immediately started shoving through the throngs of people more roughly, until he managed to get to the doorway. "Martin!" He got to the nearest bouncer, who was currently scrutinising someone's ID card. Immediately the man stopped what he was doing, paling slightly when he saw Mike approach him. He managed a helpful smile though. "Sir! Um, how may I help you?"

"Did you see a girl, a teenager, with curly brunette hair and a navy jacket, leave through this doorway?"

He frowned slightly, as if trying to remember.

"She may have been with a red-haired girl?" Mike persisted.

Martin's face cleared. "Oh – ah yes. Yes, she was with her friends here, I believe and one of them was probably the girl you just described. Navy jacket you say… Uh yes, she left through this doorway just now."

So, she had left. He nodded his thanks and rushed out the door. He searched among the crowds of people wandering around outside. She was of course long gone.

What the hell was he thinking? He had to make it up to her, had to make things right.

"Jesus," he whispered. He had to find her. Tomorrow he was going to find her. He couldn't lose her, not now, not like this. She was way too important to him.

* * *

El didn't know what time it was when she got back to the house. She couldn't remember getting there, but she could remember the feelings of numbness and betrayal. There was a shard in her guts, painful and merciless. Her heart was aching in a way that she hadn't felt since – since her mom had passed.

Upon leaving the club she had bumped into an extremely tipsy Shelby, and then quickly proceeded to let her know that she was leaving. She only hoped that Shelby was sober enough not to completely forget about what she was saying.

There was no sign of life in the house as she approached it quietly. Diane's car wasn't parked in the driveway, thank God.

No sooner had those words crossed her mind, when the unmistakeable roar of a car engine filled the air. Five seconds later, Diane's car appeared, approaching the driveway to the garage.

El froze. Panic and horror spread through her as she immediately ducked behind the house. _Fuck, fuck, fuck._ She heard the car door slam, and Diane walking briskly to the front door. Another slam.

El was trying to control her breathing. The basement window was towards the front of the house, and from where she was standing, she could see that it was still open. But running to it while the porch light was still on – Diane would see her. On the other hand, if she got to it when the porch light went out, it would just come on again.

There were only a few seconds left until the porch light went out. She had to act quickly. Gathering up her courage, she shot out from the shadows, tiptoeing as quickly as she could towards the open window.

Her heart was in her mouth a she squeezed through it, trying not to make a sound. She climbed through the basement window, and hopped onto the ground, carefully closing the window behind her. She let out a breath, and the tension in her body eased. Carefully she took off her jacket.

"Where the hell were you."

El's heart stopped and she whirled around.

Diane stood there, her hair still in its fancy perm and her face twisted into a look of hatred and disgust.

"You snuck out," she hissed. "You actually had the audacity and disrespect – _to sneak out_."

El took a step back, her heart rate increasing. It had finally happened. She got caught. Fear rose up in her like a flood and she swallowed.

"I knew it," she hissed. "I never believed that you would truly be stupid enough to disobey me. But Sara was right. She told me all about you meeting with a man after school and how you drove off with him. I didn't believe her at first. But now…"

El was shaking so hard she couldn't feel her legs anymore.

Diane advanced towards her. "You – little – _whore_."

But suddenly she felt Diane grab her hair and yanked hard. El cried out as she stumbled off the stairs and was dragged by the hair. Her entire scalp felt as though it was going to get ripped off.

"What were you doing?", she heard her scream. "Fucking him? Is that it? _You, filthy slut_!"

The air was knocked out of her as she felt a blow to her stomach, Diane's fist thrusting upwards and El's breath instantly left her for dead as she doubled over, her knees buckling. She was struggling to keep the contents of her stomach down, when she felt another blow to her abdomen. This time, she felt an agonising crack in her rib area. She could taste bile, and a hint of blood as she collapsed, gasping for breath.

She wanted to curl up, to protect herself from her wrath, but El could do nothing, just lie there helplessly, fighting for air.

She heard a clank against the floor, before a sudden razor-sharp pain ripped across her back. This time a sound emerged from her throat, raw and painful. She felt that object strike again, harder, more furiously this time. El could feel the tears soaking her face. Her entire back was on fire, endless and without mercy. Diane's screaming continued to ring in her ears as she felt her skin being split open torturously.

El couldn't move, even as she attempted to crawl away, to force some kind of movement in her muscles. But her entire body had gone completely numb from the burning, throbbing pain.

Her mind took her somewhere else during those moments, a place far away where she could shut out the pain. She heard Diane's screaming and the feeling of that metal impacting her skin, splitting it further and further open. But she couldn't feel the agony that resulted from it.

She didn't know how long she had been lying there on her own for, didn't know when Diane had stopped hurting her. It could have been minutes, or even hours. All she knew was that she was in such indescribable pain that she could barely move.

Slowly, El cracked her eyes open, immediately finding that they were crusted with dried tears. It was pitch black all around her as she lay there on the icy concrete floor. There was a warm, wetness soaking her top, combined with burning pain that didn't seem to be going away any time soon.

Her eyes snagged on the belt discarded on the ground several feet away. She didn't even bother hiding it. She wanted her to know what exactly she had used.

Tears streamed down her face as she pushed herself up. She swore, biting her lip hard, and squeezing her eyes shut. Reassuring herself that she could do it.

Finally she got up, and slowly limped towards the bathroom. Every step felt like a nail bomb exploding in her innards.

El didn't want to look in the mirror. But she knew from the state of her clothes, which were a bloody mess, just what sort of condition her back was in.

She stepped into the shower and turned on the freezing cold water. She didn't care that it wasn't warm. She stood there, unflinching, as the icy water sprayed her. She could only watch as all the bloody water disappeared down the drain. There was such an emptiness inside of her, growing and spreading like a disease. She just stared and stared at a crack in the tiles, watching as it zoomed in and out of her didn't realise she was clenching her fists until she felt her nails cutting into her skin.

She didn't just hate her step-mother with every fibre of her being. She wanted to kill her.

* * *

El didn't know how she got through the first couple of periods the next day at school. She avoided Max all morning, simply walking in the opposite direction whenever she caught sight of her. She didn't want her involved in this. She heard nothing in class, only concentrating on not moving her body too much. Her back was just a dull ache, twinging with pain every time she stood up, or sat down. She could feel the cuts leaking, the blood stick to her top. But she just kept her eyes on the board, or on the desk, and said nothing.

The next class was P.E. While all the girls were giggling together as they got changed, El grabbed her clothes and went into a shower cubicle to get changed.

When she got out she noticed several girls looking her way, and giggling. Probably sneering at what she was wearing. El shut them out as she entered the gym.

It was volley ball. El watched with a sinking feeling as they were slit up into groups.

Afraid of moving, of doing anything at all, El hung back from her group. Luckily, the other girls seemed to be getting on fine without her. El prayed that she would stay invisible.

The class seemed to drag on forever, and several times, she felt like collapsing, her back was aching so much, as if knives were digging into her skin.

El turned around to look towards the clock at the far wall, when suddenly she felt a ball hit her on the back. And it sent a sharp, burning pain through her senses all over again. She hissed, her knees buckling. Her back was aflame all over again, throbbing and tender. She heard exclamations, and undisguised whispers. She just kept her eyes on the ground, concentrating on breathing.

She could hear her PE teacher talking to her, as she breathed in and out. Her fists were clenched tightly.

She couldn't. She just couldn't do it. She knelt there, trying not to collapse with pain.

"You all right there… kid?" She heard her teacher say. She didn't even know her name. Not very surprising.

"I don't feel well, miss." El mumbled, grimacing at the sharp pain on her spine. It wasn't faked. She looked up, at the woman's concerned face. The teacher eyed her carefully. She gave a little nod. "Okay, kid I'll let you off. You can go to the nurse's office. I'd advise you to take it easy, all right?"

Trying not to weep with relief, El thanked her and slowly began making her way to the changing rooms. She felt the other girls stares at her back, and their low whispering seemed to follow her all the way back to the locker room. Walking stiffly and wincing, she put her hand on the handle of the door to the dressing room.

"El!"

She turned at the sound of her friend's voice. "Max? You're not in this class."

Max's face was tight and pale looking as she marched towards her. For once, her eye make-up was slightly smudged as if she had been rubbing at it. "Why are you avoiding me?"

"I'm not-"

"You are El, don't lie to me! Something happened last night, didn't it? That's why you left early? Or did something happen on the way home. Oh my God, I should never have let you walk home by yourself-". Max was clearly distressed, working herself into a frenzy. Her eyes were filling up, and she clasped her hands to her mouth. "Jesus El, just tell me, please. You're killing me."

"Nothing happened," El heard herself say, and walked into the locker room. Max followed her.

"I'm not playing around here, El, you have to tell me what's going on with you!"

"I've gotta go," she said abruptly.

"Go-go where?"

"Anywhere, but here." She pulled her bag out from under the bench.

"Okay El, listen to me." Max grabbed her by the arm, and made her look at her, her stare pinning her to the ground. She looked desperate. "I am completely at the edge of reason now. You have been avoiding me all day, and I need to know why. You have to tell me what the hell is going on!"

"There is nothing going on." El shook off her hand. She couldn't feel anything right at that moment. She just – she didn't care anymore. "Just leave it."

"El you need to tell me-"

"No, I don't!", El snapped, turning on her. Max stopped, her mouth slightly open.

"El, I'm just trying to help you. I'm worried-"

"Well stop worrying. I don't need it. I don't need your constant fucking nagging, and you worrying about every little detail you notice about me. I have enough people in my life controlling me right now and I don't need you to do it either. I'm sick and tired of your constant obsessive nagging towards me, like an irritating ass! Just fuck off!"

She knew she should apologise and take it all back. But something in her was preventing her from doing so. Max just stared at her, her expression changing from shock to hurt to anger and back to urt again. "Is that you see me then?" Her voice trembled. "Nothing more than an obsessive, irritating ass?"

 _No._ El opened her mouth.

"I just want you to go away. I don't want you and I don't need you here. So just go, already. _Go._ "

Max said nothing. She stared at her with an iciness that sent a shock through El. Then without another word, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the locker room, slamming the door behind her.

El instantly regretted her words. Tears pricked her eyes. She had screwed up. First Mike, and now Max. She just ruined the last good thing in her life. Max was never going to forgive her.

Maybe it was just as well. She was going to hurt her at some point anyway.

She started changing out of her tracksuit, keeping her back straight as she did so. This made it so awkward for her, that she was forced to bend over slightly. Burning pain spread across her muscles and she felt tears dripping down her face. She didn't know whether it was from the pain, or about the argument. It was probably both.

She heard a quiet click, and she froze. Was there someone in here? El listened carefully, staying very still and holding her breath. But there was no other sound. She shook her head, wincing slightly as the movement brought another ache on her shoulders.

She wasn't going to look at what had been done to her. She whipped off her hoodie, and then her t-shirt, and started at the amount of blood on it. She shoved it in her bag.

She was reaching for her clean t-shirt when a voice sounded behind her, husky and trembling. "El?"

And everything just stopped.

She froze, just froze up completely, forgetting how to breathe entirely.

This was a dream. It couldn't be real, it couldn't be real, it couldn't be real-

 _No_ , was all that was running through her head at that very second. _No no no no no_.

 _No, he couldn't be here, he just couldn't be. No, God no, please don't let it be true, please don't let it be him, anyone but him._

Her legs trembling, she raised her eyes from her bag, slowly to the mirror in front of her, to see the tall foreboding figure reflected in it. Her eyes meeting those dark orbs that had imprinted themselves in her mind from the first moment she had met him.

He was standing there at the end of the aisle behind her, wearing a hoodie instead of his usual leather attire, probably for disguise purposes. And he was standing still – so, so unnaturally still. Even his chest wasn't moving, as if he had stopped breathing. It was almost as though he was somehow frozen in time, like a statue.

And El had never seen him look so numb, so at a loss for words. His expression betrayed his warring feelings, as it changed from disbelief, to anger, to devastation. Only his eyes were still as he stared at her. At her back.

Bile rose up in her throat, sour and nauseating as she suddenly became aware of everything on her back, what had been done to her that previous night. What _she_ had done to her. And she felt naked, so pathetically naked, not just physically but also as if her mind had been cracked open, and everything that she had ever thought, seen and said, was now being shouted out for the whole world to hear.

She wanted to cover herself up, run away, anything to stop him from staring at her back. But her legs had turned to granite. she just stood there, unable to move or think or do anything.

At last something in her sparked, and she whirled around, grabbing her hoodie and clutching it to her chest as she faced him, her aching back pressed against the icy mirror behind her. Her entire body was shaking violently as it struck her at that very moment, the full reality of this situation.

He saw the truth. For the first time he saw the truth. The awful, shameful truth that was now laid out before him like a fucking buffet.

He just stood there, unmoving, as she saw realisation dawning on him.

And it was as if a demon had taken over his body. All the light in his eyes had snuffed out like a candle and whatever emotion he was feeling that was reflected in his eyes disappeared, replaced with a coldness that seemed to promise suffering and death.

When he spoke, it was almost as if a dark presence had indeed possessed him, because the low, guttural voice so full of hate and wrath and violence wasn't the voice she had come to know. And for the first time, El could just tell by looking at him, at the undiluted wrath in his eyes, what this man could truly be capable of.

" _Who - did - this_?"

* * *

So, I'm sure some of you are questioning Mike's reaction. I thought about it a lot too. So here is my explanation.

Mike here is someone who had a shitty life. He spent his entire life trying to survive and trying to prove that he was worth something. That was his goal. So basically, he can't understand how someone like El would want to hurt themselves, when he spent his whole life fighting for his own life.

It's simple. Mike had people who loved him. He had something to live for. El didn't. Mike assumed that she did. He still believes that out of the two of them, she has the better life. That's why he had such a bad reaction. Not once did he suspect that her life was just as miserable as his own.

Well I can say now that that illusion is destroyed.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Um... hi guys. This isn't awkward at all lol.**_

 _ **So yeah I'm not dead, don't worry. I was just very busy with everything in my life. I did my end of school exams which just flew by, and I got my results just last week. I'm extremely happy with them, and my result for English was especially a huge surprise for me. I got the top mark. Aaaand I got the course I wanted in college so I'm soo excited about that. It's film making, so it's going to be an eventful next few years I hope!**_

 _ **Your reviews have been totally amazing and I feel so lucky to have all this support from. Bless all of you. And I'm so sorry about keeping you waiting. I'm thankful to have all of you, so I'm sorry you had to wait.**_

 _ **And I can't write this without mentioning Stranger Things. Wow, there is just so much to talk about here. I really enjoyed, maybe more than the last two seasons. And I laughed so bloody hard, it had so many hilarious moments. So many emotions, so many thoughts. And I can't write all of it down in one go, so I'm going to spread it out over a few chapters.**_

 _ **The action sequences were amazing, and a lot more ambitious. I loved all the scenes where Eleven uses her powers, especially her first fight with Billy, the monster in the hospital, the Mind Flayer at the cabin etc. I also liked that this season had more gore in it. One of my favourite scenes actually, is that operation scene in the last episode. I know it's really gross, but I don't actually mind gore. For example, Logan is one of my favourite films ever.**_

 _ **And Mileven. Mike and Eleven. Eleven and Mike. They were ADORABLE! The break-up was very unnecessary, but that didn't stop them from being cute. I loved the fact that it wasn't just El saving Mike, he also saved her a few times as well! My OTP guys. And OMG when Mike blurted out that he loved El, I was in total shock. Did not see that coming. I literally just sat there for the next ten minutes trying to wrap my head around it. And then El said it back to him and I was just i pieces. I'm so happy, they're stronger than ever. They looooove each other ! So yeah I was fangirling about it. Not gonna lie.**_

 _ **And let me just clarify. Hopper's not dead. Obviously. Everyone says he is, which annoys me because if there is one thing I've learned from TV shows and films, is that if there is no dead body, then we have to assume that they're alive. I'm looking at you Riverdale.**_

 _ **Oh yeah, who else cried at Avengers: Endgame? Ugh, best film ever, but it BROKE me! Aaaah :(**_

 _ **And Spider Man: Far From Home... oh man, I loved it. Can I just sat that I had been shipping Peter and MJ since Spider Man: Homecoming. And just the fact that my wish for this film came true - OMG I love them. They are just my favourite couple ever (except Mileven of course) Zendaya is great as always and MJ has to be one of the best ladies of the MCU now. I hope she becomes an actual superhero at some point. But yeah, Spideychelle forever guys !**_

 _ **And to answer Layna's question on , no I'm actually not on Wattpad. Would you recommend writing in it?**_

 _ **So anyways darlings, here's another chapter. I'm so sorry for keeping you all waiting. XXX**_

* * *

There was a horrible, painful roaring in his head. He didn't know where it was coming from, only that it was all he could hear at that very moment. His pulse throbbed in his ears, speeding up as the milliseconds passed by.

 _A dream,_ he thought. _This had to be a dream._ _No, this had to be some God-awful nightmare he was having, and he was going to wake up at any minute._

Because what he was seeing before him… No. No it couldn't be real. This was a joke or some bad dream, _it had to be._

He could see her perfect face, frozen with panic and fear. She had turned to face him now, pressing her back hard against the wall as if it would erase what he had just seen. She was breathing at a rapid pace, her eyes wide with alarm.

Mike wasn't sure whether he was still breathing. No, he was about empty the contents of his breakfast right onto the concrete floor. Because _this_ \- he knew things were really bad, but this went beyond anything he had ever _imagined_ -

Her back was covered in long clean wounds, gaping open and leaking out blood. The skin that wasn't cut open was an ugly purple-blue colour. This was happening to her, and he didn't notice. He never noticed the signs. It suddenly hit him, everything that he had missed. The way she covered up her entire body, seeing her flinch slightly out of the corner of his eye, her tough exterior. All this time he had never suspected anything was amiss. Even when he saw what was on her arms, it had never crossed his _mind_ -

"I'm not going to ask you again, El." His mouth was moving of its own accord. He didn't even recognise his own voice. "Who. Did. This."

She just stared at him, visibly swallowing repeatedly. There was nothing left of that callous, tough girl he had bumped into in the rain. That night they had to take the longer way to that warehouse, as there had been a car accident on the other road, so it had been blocked off. That was when he had met her. A chance meeting that was surely some act of God. Because there was no explanation as to how he had met this one girl again, even after all these years.

Memories of that night ten years ago flashed in his mind. He let her go. He had let her go into that ambulance, allowed Joyce to hold him back, and simply watched as it drove away. He believed it was for the best. And _this_ was the result of those actions.

First it was those – those cuts. He felt bile go up his throat at the thought, _self-inflicted._ And now this – _this._

The chief, or someone else in her life, whoever had done this – he wasn't going to rest until they were wiped off the face of the Earth. Boiling rage was building up in him, causing his muscles to shake. He had only felt this deep anger once before. It was like molten lava spreading through his veins.

He knew the shape of those slashes on her back. He knew what sort of an object she had been hit with. Because Joyce had patched up those exact same wounds on him. Wounds that had left permanent scars on him.

He did this. By letting her go, he allowed her to go on a path in life that would lead to this suffering, these scars. It was his goddamn fault.

"How long?"

She just shook her head, a little panicked sound escaping from her throat. "You need to leave Mike. Right now."

He shook his head desperately, feeling as though he was about to lose his mind, right then and there. "El, you need to talk to me."

"Get out. Get the hell _out,"_ she suddenly shouted at him angrily. But he could see that her eyes were filling up.

"No, I'm not fucking leaving you here!" He stepped towards her cautiously, but she flinched. He hated that. Hated that she had been messed up so much that something like _that_ could make her wince. "You need to tell me what is going on, _right now_."

El pulled on her t-shirt in a furious manner, and Mike caught a glimpse of even more bruises on her torso and stomach, before she rounded on him, her eyes narrowed. "Oh, and since when are you interested in talking to me? Because the last time I checked, it seemed pretty clear to me last night that you think I'm an ungrateful bitch, and I should be thanking my fucking lucky stars, because apparently I have such a great life, and I know nothing about real-life problems, whereas _you_?" Her brown eyes were blazing. "You know everything about everyone just by looking at them, because you're just _so_ fucking smart, aren't you? And to top all of this off, what the hell do you think you're doing, coming into the girl's changing rooms. What would you have done if I wasn't in here? Torn the place apart? Beat up people, like you always do?" She huffed a sarcastic laugh. "You actual dickhead."

Her words scraped against him like knives, and he swallowed, trying to stop his voice from coming out as shaky. "I snuck into the school, because I had to see you, all right? What I said – last night – I didn't mean it. I let my emotions get carried away, but that is no excuse and I'm sorry for what I said." He looked deep into her eyes. "I'm so sorry, El, you have to know that."

"I don't care whether or not you're sorry," she answered icily. "I don't care at all, you understand? I want to know how the hell you found me, and how many of your friends are scattered throughout this school."

"It's just me," he tried to assure her. "It's just me, there's no one else here, I swear on my life. I was walking through the building and then I saw you and Max go in here, okay? Then she left without you, which meant you were still in there and - I just – I know it was shitty of me, but I wasn't thinking straight, I just – I had to see you, El." He ran a hand over his face, pulling at his skin in frustration. He was trying so hard not to start yelling and punching at the lockers.

He looked at her, feeling a sort of numbness come over him. She was so thin, so tired looking. It had never even occurred to him to ask her about that. He assumed it was combined with school stress and her unhappiness with her home-life. But he never bothered to ask. Maybe if he had asked her sooner –

"You hid this from me," he said to her quietly, an aching feeling growing in his chest. He didn't stop his voice from cracking as he turned his gaze to the floor. He wasn't sure he could look at her without breaking down completely. He had lost any kind of cold control over his emotions. "You said no secrets. And yet - you hide all this from me. First – your arm, and then-", he broke off abruptly, swallowing hard as he fought to contain himself. He was unable to describe what he just saw, the bloody mess on her body. Finally, he looked up at her again, unable to hide the pain in his gaze. He could have helped her, could have put a stop to this sooner. If only he'd asked. "Why?", his voice trembled. "How many more secrets are you hiding from me, El?" He bit down hard on his lip as his eyes stung, threatening to fill up with emotion. "God, how long has this been _happening_ to you?"

Her face was scrunched up slightly, and she was pressing her lips so hard they disappeared, as if she was also trying to stop herself from succumbing to emotion. Still, she didn't answer him.

"Dammit El, _how long?"_ His voice was rose. "Just tell me. Please!"

She opened her mouth slightly, but nothing came out. Her face was so white, it had a greenish tint. She swayed, her eyes drooping slightly. Mike was moving before he knew what he was doing, catching her as she fell to her knees.

"Shit, shit okay. I got you."

She gritted her teeth in an effort to stop any sound from escaping. She was bent over slightly, her body shuddering, and she was clutching her torso. She let out a sound of pain that immediately made his heart hammer against his chest in a frenzy. The bruises on her torso.

"El, did you break something? Your ribs?"

She just shook her head, her eyes squeezed shut. He didn't believe her, not for one damn second. He looked around briefly. There was no one else in here, no one to help them. His panic quickly changed to dark resolve. He had to get her to the hospital.

"Everything's going to be fine, El. We need to get you to the hospital. Okay?"

"No," she muttered, grasping at his hands in an attempt to push him off. "I'm fine."

"No, El I'm taking you _right now_. As far as I can damn well see, you're far from fine. You need to see a doctor-"

"No, we can't, you don't understand-"

He attempted to push down his infuriation, only partially succeeding. "Do not _tell_ me what I do or don't understand, we don't have time for this right now, we need to take you to the goddamn hosp-"

" _I said_ _no!",_ she suddenly shrieked. Her voice vibrated through the air, and he could have sworn he felt a slight shudder in the room. Vibrations whipped beneath him through the floor and the lockers shaking noisily. There was a horrible sound of something cracking, before there was silence.

He stared at El. She was breathing heavily, and it suddenly seemed as though she was even more of a weight in his arms. Slowly he looked up. He stared at the mirror above them, where several cracks had appeared. A few shards were sort of half dangling from their place on the wall.

"They'll see," she whispered. "They're going to see me, and then they're going to ask questions."

Fury roiled beneath his skin as he gripped her beneath her arms. "My God El, you can't just fucking expect me to - _just_ _look at you."_

"Not hospital," she begged him, clutching at his shoulders. Her eyes were wide with something he had rarely seen in her. Fear. Real genuine fear was in her gaze as she pleaded with him. "Please, Mike. Please."

"El-"

"Were you able to go to the hospital after your dad was finished with you, Mike?"

That made him stop. Her eyes were now melancholy, knowing the grim reality of this situation. Exactly the way he knew it personally. It was certainly true. He had only been in the hospital a few times, once when he had broken a leg, once when he'd broken an arm. Another time he had been knocked over by a car, and ended up with five broken ribs, a smashed ankle and had been in a coma for three days. But when his dad had beat him up, he had treated his injuries himself. Or Joyce did, at the beginning at least.

 _Joyce_. He felt like smacking himself for not coming up with it straight away. Instantly, he knew what he had to do. "Okay," he said to her in a low voice. "Okay not the hospital. But I'm taking you with me. There's someone who can help you. I'm not letting you stay another fucking minute in this school. Not in your condition."

She made a brief nod, her shoulders sagging with relief.

"Come on, let's go then," he said to her gently, but firmly. She allowed him to slowly help her to her feet, and sling her arm around him, while he held her upright. She was just about able to walk, thankfully. Her weight didn't bother him, and he briskly led her out of the changing room, and down the corridor. He opened his mouth to ask her about her school bag, but then decided against it. They had better things to worry about.

Mike had already noted where the back door was, and he guided her there. They passed no one as they hurried through the corridors and out the back door. He led her down a path near the back of the school, and around the side, where some students were doing sports training. He thought he felt El shiver as they passed an outdoor basketball court, turning her gaze away slightly. He looked up to see a group of teenage boys playing basketball. He recognised the dark-haired one who was hi-fiving his buddies. That asshole who tried to corner El. Troy Whats-his-face.

He worked his jaw, but he forced himself to keep moving. There was a cold wind blowing, causing their clothes to whip back and forth. El's hair was being teased into a tangle of knots. But even now when he looked at her, all he could think about was how stunning she was. _How could this be happening to someone as beautiful as her?,_ he thought to himself, feeling the rage pour into him again.

They eventually reached his car. Luckily, there was no one about to report a school student leaving the premises. Looking around briefly, he helped El into passenger seat in the car. She grimaced as she sat down, gritting her teeth. His fists shook as he got into the car and pulled out of the parking lot.

He kept looking at El as they drove, seeing how pale she was and the way her eyes were squeezed shut. She was breathing in a continuous rhythm, as if she was concentrating on blocking the pain she was in. At a traffic light, he dialled Joyce's number but ended up on voicemail. She was still at work. Sighing in angry frustration, he dialled a different number, praying that he would have more luck with this one.

The person picked up almost immediately. "What's up?" Will greeted him.

"Where's your mom, Will?"

"You do realise she's your mo-"

"Yeah we don't have time for that right now," Mike said impatienly. "Where is Joyce?"

"At work. At least that's the last I checked? Why?"

 _Fantastic,_ Mike thought furiously. "Shit. Okay, it doesn't matter. Meet me at my place. Alone, okay? Don't say a word to anyone. Something happened, and I need you, all right?"

Will's voice darkened. "What do you mean something happened? Is it bad?"

"You'll see when I get there. Just hurry, okay?", he said impatiently, before hanging up. El was quiet next to him. Wincing every few seconds. Those injuries on her body. He knew that they were going to imprint themselves in his mind during every minute of his life from now on. Why didn't he notice? Why didn't he ask?

He kept his eyes on the red light. Was it broken? It seemed to have been stuck at red for a very long time. It swam before him, mutating into two lights as he stared at it, despair filling him. He began to shake uncontrollably, even as he fought to control his emotions. All he could think about were the bruises and wounds on her lithe body. What had she done to deserve that? And he didn't notice her suffering, even when it was right under his nose. He thought about the way he had yelled at her, telling her that she didn't know what abuse meant, because she had never experienced it. He was blind, so unbelievably _blind_. And in that moment, he finally snapped.

He slammed his fists against the steering wheel, punching it again and again and yelling, " _Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit_!", not caring about the fact that he was probably going to get bruises on his knuckles.

"Stop please," he heard her beg him. "Mike just stop. _Stop!"_

The sound of her desperate voice was enough to make him halt. His hands throbbed as he held them before him.

He squeezed his eyes shut, so hard he saw rainbow dots and rubbed his knuckles against his face. "I'm sorry," he kept saying to her. "I let this happen, I let this happen to you, dammit, dammit, _dammit."_

"You didn't let anything happen Mike," she argued. "You need to stop right now, you can't do this to yourself. You did nothing wrong, okay?"

This time he looked at her. Her wide eyes were framed with dark rings, and her peaky face was an unhealthy mix between grey and white. She shook her head. "Don't blame yourself," she said softly. "You understand?"

"I could have stopped this," he whispered hoarsely. "I could have stopped this from happening to you. Everything could have been different."

El frowned at him, opening her mouth slightly in confusion. "What are you-?" Her voice was cut off by a blaring car horn from behind them. The traffic light had turned green.

Mike didn't remember much about the rest of the drive. His mind had gone somewhere, and he was on an automatic mode, emotionless and concentrating only on getting to his destination. Twenty minutes later they finally reached the trailer park. It was the early afternoon, and clouds were blanketing the sky. Several gang members were loitering around the place, having fist fights out in the open or just sitting silently, conversing amongst themselves. They nodded at Mike as he drove past, showing respect towards him.

There were also more domestic aspects in the trailer park. There were a couple of women gossiping on a porch while holding their squirming toddlers. A few old men were smoking and chatting, and a teenage boy was out walking his dog. But most of the noise was coming from the local children. He saw El staring at the groups of young kids running around shrieking as they played. Most of them were grubby looking, and they smiled and waved at the car as it drove past. She blinked, as if she was surprised.

He drove down the dust track to the end of the park where there were hardly any other people about and screeched to a halt outside of his own trailer. He had barely turned off the engine before he was leaping out the door and racing to the other side to pull open the passenger door. Right now all he cared about was El. Her eyes were closed tightly, and there was no colour left in her face. She was breathing heavily, moans of pain leaving her mouth as he carefully helped her out of the car, keeping a firm hold on her as he walked her around the trailer to his front porch.

Thankfully Will was there. He had been sitting on the porch when he drove up, and the moment he saw the two of them, he leapt to his feet, his face going slack. He rushed towards them. "Shit. _Shit._ Oh my god, what the – Mike what the _hell_ happened?"

"Just help me with her," he answered tersely. "Get the door open."

When Will didn't move, still dumbstruck at what he was seeing, Mike just lost it. " _Will, get the goddamn door open_ , _right now!",_ he yelled at his friend, fishing in his jacket pocket for his keys and throwing them at him. El stumbled slightly as he guided her up the steps, her long hair falling over her face.

This time Will didn't waste any time. He hurriedly unlocked the door and ushered them in, kicking away some rubbish on the floor as he rushed in. It was covered with heaps of empty cans and cigarette butts. The mess made Mike wince, but El didn't even react to her surroundings. Her expression was completely blank. She might as well have been led into a luxurious five-star penthouse apartment.

They brought her into the bathroom where El sat down on the toilet, holding her torso. She was half turned away from them, and his chest hurt slightly at that gesture. But he knew what sort of a place she was in at that moment - that deep dark emotionless hole. He knew it, because he had experienced as well.

Realising what he had to do, Mike knelt before her. "El, sweetheart." He brushed the hair from her face. "We're going to help you. We need to take a proper look at your wounds, okay?"

She just nodded, and before he could react, she had taken off her top, leaving her in her sports bra.

It was so much worse up close. Mike had to use all his willpower not break down right and then and there when he saw the state of her.

Will took a sharp intake of breath. "What happened to you?", he demanded.

He looked up to see Will's eyes, which were full of horror. "What the – who did this?"

El was as silent as ever, as was Mike. He rubbed his face, turning away from her so that he wouldn't have to look at where she'd been hurt.

"Why the hell did you bring her here Mike, she needs the _hospital_."

"The hospital isn't an option right now, because they're not going to help her," he snapped, still feeling angry that she wasn't going to get the best help possible, angry at feeling helpless. He met his gaze again. "We're all she has right now. Please just help me with her." There was no one in the world that he trusted more than Will. They had been best friends since they were toddlers. He trusted him with his life.

Will's jaw tightened as he stared at her bruised body and nodded. "They're fresh, so we'll have to wash her wounds, and then disinfect them, before it gets any worse." He looked at her bruised torso, which was particularly bruised around one area, and knelt down. "El, can I take a look at that? I can just check whether or not you have a fractured rib."

"I think if it were fractured, I wouldn't able to walk," El said suddenly in a matter-of-fact way. Mike started. It was the first thing she had spoken since she's entered his house.

Will gave a half smile, eyes flickering to Mike. "People can sometimes walk around without knowing they have a fractured rib. And I know a thing or two about broken bones. I can double check, with your permission?"

El just looked up at him wearily and nodded slightly. Mike folded his arms as he stood over her, watching him as he examined the bruising carefully. "Does it hurt when you breathe?"

She just shrugged, then nodded.

"It's particularly swollen and bruised around here," he commented. He prodded the bruised skin ever so slightly. She hissed, gripping the toilet seat.

"Yeah fractured, definitely," Will stated. "Ice needs to be kept on that."

"Are you sure?" Mike asked him sceptically, his tone darkening. "That that's all there is?"

"I think I'm right. Just wash her first, then we can get some ice," he told Mike. "You know what to do," he told him, before leaving the bathroom. "I'll be right outside."

He turned around, where El was staring intensely at the ground as if hoping it would swallow her up. He sighed, opening his mouth to tell her to get into the shower so he could start washing her injuries. What she did next caught him off guard. Not looking at him, she pulled off her sports bra, and dropped it to the floor.

Mike was pretty sure the world stopped turning for a few moments. His brain stuttered. Words left him. He couldn't breathe. His brain formulated no thoughts other than to register that he was shocked. He closed his mouth, then looked at his toes desperately trying to think of anything other than what he was seeing right now. _Get_ _your fucking act together, Mike!_ Swallowing, he picked up her t-shirt, keeping his eyes to the floor. "Um – you can cover yourself with uh – this."

She just took it without looking towards him. Nothing from her. No reaction, no inclination that she was aware of his disbelief. Like she didn't care. She got up, and slowly moved to the shower, before kneeling down on the floor.

"Your tracksuit might get wet, El. I can get you a different pair," he found himself saying. She didn't even answer him, simply staring at the shower floor. Deciding not to argue with her any further, he took down the shower head and turned it on.

Gently, Mike rinsed her wounds in the cool water, using minimal pressure to do so. He was careful not to touch them, in case he caused her more pain, but he did use them to wash some of the dried blood off. Red stained water flowed around El and down the drain. She didn't react, simply allowing him to wash her back. Trusting him.

When he was finished, he sat her down again, and got a clean soft cloth from the cupboard. He dampened it, and then set to work.

He dabbed gently at the leaking wounds, his heart wrenching every time El winced, or let out little grunts of pain. When it seemed as though he was finished, Mike looked up at the doorway to see Will standing there, holding a bottle of vodka. He winced, realising what he wanted to use it for. "You're joking."

Will held it up, his face grim. "Do you have a better idea, Mike? We are out of iodine, or any disinfectant for that matter, so this is the best we have. We need to disinfect the wounds _now_. And we need to use whatever we can find in here, okay?"

Mike glared at him, but sighed heavily, nodding. He shifted his position, squatting down to face El, who was staring determinedly at the floor. He gently lifted her chin to make her look at him.

"Okay, El just look at me. We're going to disinfect your wounds now. It's going to hurt for a moment, but trust me it's going to stop any infections from coming in, okay?"

She just nodded wearily. "Just do it. Please just get it over with, guys."

Will slowly opened the bottle. The stink of vodka filled his nostrils, and he closed his eyes, praying that El would forgive him for this. He met Will's gaze and nodded at him determinedly. Without hesitating, Will slowly poured the alcohol all over El's wounds.

The sound that she emitted was horrendous in Mike's ears. She screamed in agony as the burning alcohol entered her wounds, tears now streaming in torrents down her face. She gripped his forearms tightly as she howled through her gritted teeth, her expression filled with intense pain. Watching this unfold right before his eyes was agony for him. He held her face firmly, "El calm down. Baby, just look at me, okay? Look at me."

She opened her eyes, her watery eyes meeting his. "I'm here, okay?", he told her. Tears were streaming down her face, and he wiped them away as he held her face. "I'm not going anywhere, I swear. I'm right here, El. I'm staying here, okay? I'm not going anywhere."

He kept on repeating those words, holding her face and letting her forehead rest on his. Making sure she knew that he was right there, and that she was safe. He was partially aware of Will putting bandages on her back. He wasn't sure how long he was kneeling there for, whispering to her. He couldn't even remember what he said. But at some point he opened his eyes to see Will standing there, holding a clean t-shirt. There was something like astonishment in his face as he stared at the pair of them.

Not daring to speak, Mike took the t-shirt and pulled it over her head. El allowed him to do so. Then he carefully got up and helped El to her feet. The t-shirt was so big it almost reached her knees. He guided her to his room and she went willingly, allowing him to help her lie down.

She lay on her back, watching him as he laid a covered bag of frozen peas on her torso. He brushed her sweaty hair from her face gently. She sighed as she shut her eyes and nestled her head into his pillow. His heart gave a pang when she did that and he looked away, pulling the covers over her. He had to let her rest now. Reluctantly, he left the door ajar and went into the kitchen.

He sat at the counter, trying to gather his thoughts and make sense of them. Will was silent, grimly leaning against the fridge and staring at a spot on the wall. Mike just sat there clenching his fists. None of them spoke. Will didn't ask any questions. And so they stayed in the kitchen, not saying another word as the hours ticked by.

* * *

El was still in pain when she eventually woke up from her dreamless slumber, but it had lessened considerably. Her back ached beneath the bandages that had been applied to her, and her torso throbbed tenderly as the ice laid there. She groaned slightly, breathing in the soft pillow beneath her. It was comforting, and it had a faint whiff of cologne, cigarettes and something else. Her mind was whirling a she tried to sort out her thoughts.

She cracked open her eyes to see Mike sitting on the edge of the bed with his back to her. His hands were clasped tightly together, and she felt a pang when she saw him.

She had never wanted him to find out. Especially this way.

"How could you hide this from me," he quietly said to the wall. "No secrets. Isn't that what we said?" He chuckled emotionlessly. "That lasted about five minutes, didn't it?"

She felt a twisting feeling in her gut, and she bit her lip. But she refused to feel guilty. She stared at the ceiling, as she croaked, "You were never supposed to find out."

"I could have helped you. I can still help you." He turned around, and El's heart jolted. His face was full of weariness, and his eyes were red and shining with emotion. He looked helpless and devastated, and there was absolutely no trace of that rough gang member that everybody feared. And for the first time, El felt guilt creeping up on her.

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes briefly. "You have to tell someone. Your school, social workers, I don't care. Just someone who can _help_ you."

She made a bitter sound. "And what the hell do you think they're going to do about it? Huh?"

"Get you out of that house is what they're going to do."

"Did you tell people? Did you go to the cops when your dad was hitting you? The hospital?"

His mouth tightened. "That's not the point-"

"No Mike, it _is_ a point," she hissed. "Do you even know who my father is? The respect he has, his reputation? And don't get me started on Diane. Who the actual fuck would _believe_ me? My word against my two guardians, who happen to be the most influential and well-known people in this God-forsaken town."

He opened his mouth, but she cut him off. "And don't you dare talk to me about secrets. Don't you _dare_ , when you're going behind my back, and hiding whatever my father is up to from me. So, don't you dare, Michael Byers. Don't. You. _Dare_."

He stared at her, dark emotions crossing his face. He gave a deep sigh. "I'm not telling you, El. And that's final. And you're not going back to that fucking hellhole, either. You're staying here." With that, he got up and walked to the door.

Her heart thundered. "So that's it? You're just going to keep me here? No matter that when my father finds out where I am, he's going to storm this place and arrest you. Is that what you want?"

"If it keeps you out of that house, then yes," he said abruptly.

"That's not going to happen."

He turned back towards her, his red eyes angry. "You're not. Going. Back."

"You can't stop me."

"Why do you stay with them?" he shouted. El didn't flinch, but she looked away, swallowing. She heard him give a groan. "Shit, I – God, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout, El. It's just – you have to get out of there, El. Look what they're doing to you."

"It's not up to you, Mike."

"Which one of them is it? Your dad? Stepmom? Both?"

El pressed her lips so tightly together it hurt.

"So, you're not even going to tell me who's doing it?"

El refused to speak, focusing on a crack in the ceiling.

He was silent for a long time. She thought for a moment that he was going to leave but then -,"You never talk about your step-mom," he said finally. "I've heard you talk about your dad and your sister." His dark gaze was piercing. "But not her. Why?"

El had to grip her knees to stop them from shaking. Just the thought of _her_ made her want to faint.

"It's her isn't it. Your step-mom. She's doing this to you." His voice was quiet, but laced with an undisguised murderous tone. It would have been enough to cause someone to tremble. But El was too terrified, too shocked to even react to his voice.

"For God's sake El, just _talk_ to me."

"No, Mike because that is exactly the one thing I was told to never do," she replied shakily. Tears were threatening to fall at any second. "And – and they're all I have," she admitted. That truth, that painful thing that she didn't want herself to admit.

"You have me. You can talk to _me_!" He was suddenly crouching by her side, taking her hands, and holding them between his larger ones. She shivered at the feeling of his calloused, warm hands holding hers gently. His eyes penetrated hers, his expression full of pain. "I'm here and I'm listening."

She shook her head. This time, she felt a tear spill down her cheek.

Slowly he took hold of her wrist, which was covered in all those rubber bands, and pulled them off, one by one. El watched him, her body going still. He brushed his thumb over her scars. "I didn't mean it last night. I couldn't understand it. Why you would – do this" He held her gaze as he spoke. "Because you're the most amazing, strongest, most stubborn person I have ever met. And you're so fucking beautiful. And – and I just couldn't understand why someone as beautiful as you would even think about doing something like –", he broke off, unable to finish the sentence. He lowered his head slightly and closed his eyes as if he was unable to stomach looking at her when he said the next few words. "El. Do – do you want –," he swallowed mid-sentence. "Do you want to die?"

No one had ever asked her that question before. She bit her lip, contemplating for a few moments. "No," she said finally. "Sometimes when I'm in pain, I think about it – but no. I don't."

His stiff posture relaxed slightly. His eyes flew open, immediately meeting hers. "This isn't the answer, El. What you're doing to yourself. It's not going to make anything better for you. It'll only cause more problems and more pain for you. Swear to me that you won't do it again. Please."

She closed her eyes, her thoughts warring with themselves. "I can't promise you that."

"Why not?", he demanded.

"Because I just can't, okay!"

"You can't do this to yourself, no matter how bad things are. What happens if one day you decide to do it again, and you go too far? What about _me?"_

"What do you _mean_ what about you?", she said furiously.

"You'll be leaving _me_ behind!", he shouted. "And I wouldn't be able to live with myself if that happened!"

She breathed heavily, glaring at him. "Okay, you want me to stop? Then tell me."

"What?"

"Tell me whatever it is you're hiding from me about my dad. Tell me now, and I swear I'll stop doing what I'm doing."

"That is out of the fucking question, El," he fumed at her.

"Well fine then!", she shouted.

"Mike – she deserves to know." Both of them turned towards the door to see Will standing there, looking slightly awkward knowing that he interrupted their quarrel.

Mike stood up so fast, he was a blur. "It's not up to you to decide that Will."

"She's tough Mike, she can handle it."

" _It's even not about that_!", he bellowed at him.

"Christ, whatever it is just _tell me_! Please!", she yelled at them pleadingly.

"It's better if we _tell_ her right now, rather than her finding out by accident later on."

"She's not going to believe us. _Either_ of us," Mike argued with him.

"Do not talk about me as I can't hear you," she said sharply. "I'm not deaf."

"I think it's easier if we show her," Will spoke quietly to Mike. El whipped her head back and forth between them and gripped the bed sheets to stop her hands from shaking. "Show me what? _Show me what?"_

Mike grinded his teeth in anger, his dark eyes flashing. "Okay then Fine. _Fine._ Fucking _fine_. But remember if she has a bad reaction, which she _will_ \- it is on _you_." He pointed at Will, glowering ominously at him. Nothing crossed Will's expression as he held eye contact with him. "She deserves to know," was all he said back.

Mike glared at him for another few moments. "Be my guest," he said threateningly.

Will just held his gaze for a moment, and then turned to El. "El I just want to say, that what we're about to show you, it's not your dad in specific. It's the entire police force. Not just your father. He's not the main player in this."

She pinned him with a stare. "Main player in _what_?"

Will sighed and left the room. Mike followed him, still looking as though he was about to explode. They returned a few minutes later. Will was holding a large brown envelope which he was holding warily.

She swallowed. "What is that."

"Proof," Will answered, slowly handing it to her. Mike didn't say a word.

She opened the envelope, her fingers trembling. She breathed in and out as she reached in and took out several photos. She went through them quickly, unable to stop the uneasy churning in her stomach.

She stared at the photos in her hands, looking through them one by one. She was seeing them, but she wasn't taking them in. The pictures she was looking at made no damn sense. She desperately turned to Mike. "What – what is this?", she queried him shakily. They depicted members of the police force conversing with several dodgy looking men. Handing the cops envelopes in dark corners. All the locations seemed to be different. Two of them had her father in it.

Mike sighed and opened his mouth, but Will beat him to it. "We recently – a few months ago really - found proof that the whole police force, including your dad – are involved in a huge cover-up. They're being paid huge amounts of cash to keep everything quiet."

Panic rose in her. "What do you mean a cover-up? What would they need to cover up?"

"Everyone is always saying how the cops aren't corrupt anymore. That they fight to prevent crime here." Will looked at her, completely stricken. "It's a lie. All of it."

Her pulse was pounding in her skull, increasing the painfulness of her headache. Her breaths were ragged and harsh as she whispered, "What. Cover-up."

There was nothing but dead silence coming from the two of them as they both exchanged looks, their reluctance to answer her question shown as clear as day.

El couldn't take it any longer. " _What. Fucking. Cover-up!",_ she screamed at them. Will flinched at her tone and Mike just closed his eyes, rubbing his head. He met her eyes unwillingly as he spoke to her this time.

"They're being paid to cover up the crimes of another gang. A more – influential one. One who is closely linked with mafia. Way more than us. And this gang, they –," he broke off, letting out a breath as he worked his jaw. There was a dark fury in his eyes when he met her gaze again. "They're involved in sex-trafficking. Specifically - child sex trafficking."

She couldn't have heard them right. Her head pounded. "No."

"The proof is right there, before your eyes. In those photos."

"There is no proof here, it could be anything," she said desperately. No way. No way was this true. It was a lie, they were trying to trick her-

Will ran a hand through his hair tiredly. "We've been tracking the activities of the gang for months now, keeping tabs on them and sending in our own spies. And we have informants in the police force, who update us constantly. We're not making any of this up. I'm sorry, but it's the truth, El."

"You're fucking lying," she hissed. Something had changed inside her, something cold and wrathful growing inside her core.

"El, I understand that you're-"

"You're lying, you're lying, _you're lying!",_ she screamed at them hoarsely. She clawed at her face, her hair, her arms, and shook her head violently. "It – it's not true. Not true okay? My dad – he would never –"

"I'm sorry, so so sorry El, but it's the _truth_ ," Will was saying. He was sitting next to her now, holding her shoulder. "We wouldn't lie about something like this."

"Shut up!", she shouted at him. "I don't want to hear this, okay? _Okay_! My dad – he's good – he wouldn't get caught up in – in –"

"For the fiftieth damn time, will you quit that banter about your father being equal in goodness to Mary, mother of God," Mike suddenly snapped at her, his expression irate.

El's head buzzed and suddenly stood up from the bed, so fast that burning pain on her back and torso almost caused her knees to buckle and rounded on him. "Well excuse me, for believing that there is some good in my father," she retorted.

His lip curled slightly. "Let me correct that for you darling. There is nothing good in that bastard, if he's involved in this fucked up shit."

In that moment, her vehemence took over her, and she acted on instinct. Her hand struck his face so hard his head snapped to sharply to the side. Tears of anger were streaming down her face. Will gaped at her.

El was seeing red, and she was breathless with anger. Rage quickened her blood. And then, almost as sudden as it appeared, it faded away. And now all she felt was an empty shell of herself. She no longer noticed the physical pain she was in. Despair filled her and she felt more tears beginning to fall. She bent over, realising that she had sunk to her knees on the floor, and gripped her knees. Her dad. Her overweight, bearded father, the chief of police. Was a liar. And corrupt.

She could feel strong arms around her, that comforting presence that she always unconsciously craved for. The guy she had just hit in her anger. She had hit him. Oh God, she was no better than Diane. All those thoughts and emotions hit her like a tonne of bricks, and suddenly she just broke down. She felt so helpless and destitute.

She allowed Mike to hold her, and she was weeping, saying how sorry she was, she didn't mean to hurt him. He just kissed her temple, her cheek and just held her to him, letting her get all the tears out. And El just wept, losing track of time.

* * *

Later on, El was lying on Mike's bed again, holding the ice on her aching torso and just staring at a cobweb in a corner in the ceiling. They had given her a plate of hot food and a glass of water, but she had barely eaten any of it. Her chest was feeling as though it was splitting apart. And it had nothing to do with her ribs.

This gang – whoever they were – they were pure evil. That they would make a business out of something as horrific as that. All these thoughts floated around her head. The cops were being paid to keep it quiet. The fact that this was happening to kids. Her heart was just breaking for them. And she didn't know about it. No one knew about it. At least – that's what she assumed.

And her dad was involved in that evil. How could he? How could he consciously be participating in that shit while coming home to Diana and Sara. Sara was the light of his life and Diane was his wife. How could he do this to them? To her.

Now for the first time, she began to realise that she didn't really know her dad at all.

There was a little knock at the door. Mike stood there, staring at her. He was still dressed in his casual attire. It somehow suited him better than his leather jacket. He looked at the half-eaten plate on the ground. "Not hungry? Do you want anything else? You haven't eaten a lot today."

El just waved him off. She didn't feel like eating at the moment.

He frowned slightly. "Can I come in?"

She patted the edge of the bed. "It's your room, I shouldn't have to tell you whether or not you can come in."

He smiled at that and went and sat on the edge of the bed awkwardly, his eyes boring into hers. "Are you okay?"

El just shrugged slightly. She wasn't. After what she had just learned… No, she wasn't okay. And she wasn't going to be okay for a very long time. What she had learned was going to tear her apart."

His eyes bore into hers. "I didn't want you to find out this way. Will should have known better."

She shook her head tiredly. "No. It's fine. It was better this way."

"No. No I'm stupid. I should have told you before. But I was stubborn. I thought I knew what was best for you and I acted on impulse. I'm not good socially, I can't mix, and I can't communicate." He swallowed, looking at the floor. "That's why I reacted badly last night."

"Don't apologise Mike-"

"No, I should El," he raised his voice. "I'm not good with people, that's just a part of me. I was always socially awkward. And -and I'm fucking stupid, El. I'm simple. That's all you need to know about me. I'm clapped, _okay_?"

She frowned. What did he mean by that? "Mike – I don't understand."

"Do you want to know why I dropped out of school, El? Did I ever tell you what my reasons were?"

She blinked at him. "You left because you got initiated into the gang. Didn't you?"

"See – that's where you're wrong sweetheart. Yeah, I joined the gang, sure. But that was months _after_ I dropped out. I left school of my own accord, okay?"

She stared at him. "Well if it _wasn't_ the gang, why did you leave then?"

His eyes narrowed. "Oh really, you want to know? Well let's make a list, shall we? All the reasons why I, Michael, was born cursed. Let's see. I can't read. I can't write. I can't spell. The words just crowd together in a fucking jumble, so by the time I was eight, I realised I had no future." He gave a humourless laugh. "Hell, I can't even do simple _Math_ equations."

He clenched his fists, and El realised for the first time that his fury and self-loathing didn't just result from the gang and his parents. His tone was vicious as he continued, "Dyslexia wasn't enough, was it? Dysgraphia, dyscalculia. It had to be the whole fucking package, tied up with a nice blue ribbon. The dense freak. Aren't I lucky? _Hallelujah_ ," he snapped, turning his bitter gaze towards her. "This why we're different. I can never go to college El. Not because of the gang, or my dad, but because _I. Am. Fucking. THICK_."

There was so much rage in his eyes, so much cynicism. All directed at himself. El didn't know what to think, but she felt a wave of sadness come over her. She never realised just how complicated he really was, and how far his self-hate went. And it was deep.

Somewhere far away, distant sirens blared. She gripped the sheets tightly in her fists and moved a little closer to him. "You're not thick, Mike. Trust me. You're anything but that. And – you can get help for that sort of thing, you know? Good help. You're one of the _smartest_ people I know."

His gaze was bitter. "You don't know me El. You see, that's the thing. We don't know each other. We don't trust each other enough to tell each other the truth. You kept all that shit a secret from me. And I kept secrets from you."

El's emotions hardened. "I didn't have a choice, Mike. I couldn't just drag you into my own mess."

"But it's not your mess, El! That's the thing. I can hel-"

"You can't help me Mike, anymore than you can help those – those _kids_ who are suffering as a result of the cops failing them!", she shouted. She took a sharp intake of breath and rubbed her arms. "You can't help me. No matter what you do."

He slowly got to his feet. "You doubt me." His expression was tight and cold. "You doubt that I can keep you safe. Keep you out of harm's way. If you don't trust me enough to let me do that then… I mean - Jesus," he buried his face briefly in his hands, and then paced the floor. "Why the fuck are we even together then?"

Those words hammered their way into her consciousness. She was so shocked it made her slump back onto the bed. There was an aching churning inside her, and she closed her eyes.

He was right though. This whole time she had been kidding herself. A stupid fantasy she had created where she imagined that she could make this thing between them work. They were so different. But she had let her deep attraction towards him blind her and make her lose any sense of logic. There was such a magnetism between them, a bond that no one would be able to begin to understand. But she now realised just how naïve she was. How naïve they both were. It was never going to work.

"Yeah. You're right." There was a horrible aching in her heart, and she ran a hand through her knotted hair. She knew what she had to do. She removed the ice from her chest, and pushed herself off the bed, Mike's t-shirt hanging down to her knees. "There's no way this is going to end well. For either of us."

Mike whipped his head towards her, his eyes suddenly full of confusion. "What – El where are you going? What are you talking about?"

But she ignored him, pulling on her tracksuit which was laid out on the radiator. It was still slightly damp, but she didn't care. She turned around quickly, only to bump straight into Mike, who was suddenly standing right in front of her. His expression panicked. "El. Christ, I didn't mean it like that. You know I say stupid shit. El –"

"What we have – what this is-", she stopped herself, pressing her lips together as she looked away. "It's never going to work out. It's will end badly, for both of us." She nodded, trying to convince herself of that. "We were kidding ourselves."

"No, please, don't think like that. _Please_."

"We need to wake up Mike. It's like you said, we're too different." She tried to move past him, but he wouldn't let her. "Mike. Let me go. You have to."

He was shaking his head rapidly and took hold of her hands. His air was sticking up in all directions and his eyes were shining. "Stay. Stay with me. If you leave right now, I don't what I'll do."

"This is hard for me too," she burst out in frustration. "I don't want to end it like this."

"No, God El, that's not –", he took a wobbly breath. "You can't go back to them. Not to that hellhole. If you go back there, I – I might not ever see you again. It's too dangerous. You can't do this to yourself. They're going to try to break you and hurt you and – and I can't allow that. You need to stay here, regardless of how we feel about each other. I need to keep you _safe_."

"I'm tough Mike." She reached up and ran a hand through his hair. He responded by resting his forehead against hers. "Mike, I lived there for ten years. I can stomach being there for another while. I'm not broken that easily. Have faith in me."

"I know that. And I have so much faith in you, El. You're the strongest human being I've ever met." There was an empty look in his eyes as he whispered. "And that's why she might kill you."

She didn't have any words. She didn't reassure him, didn't tell him he was wrong. She didn't know how to comfort him.

"She won't," she whispered. Wishing she could believe those words.

"You don't know that."

"But I can't stay here," she said firmly. "And this can't go on."

"I need you," he whispered, as they touched foreheads, running a hand through her hair. "Please don't go."

He had held her while they were disinfecting her wounds. Wiped away her tears tenderly. Whispered to her. Telling her that he was never going to leave her. And there was something else… "Why do you need me?"

He had to tell her. If he didn't tell her right then and there, he might never get to tell her. He felt terror creep on him. Terrified of what he had to say to her, terrified that he was going to lose her. Terrified of what had been done to her, of what will be done to her if she does leave. Terrified of his feelings for her.

He opened his mouth to tell her, to say what had been on the tip of his tongue for a while now. "I – I'm – I – I mean –", he swallowed as he ran a thumb over her cheekbone. "I mean – you and me, we – we're –"

He couldn't say it. He couldn't say the goddamn words, perhaps the only words that would make her stay. He was a coward, a fucking coward and he didn't deserve her-

He opened his eyes, desperate to make her see what he meant, to see what she might be thinking. Her mesmerizing eyes were full of emotion and understanding. She gave him a small, sad smile. "It's okay," she whispered. She gently ran her thumb over his bottom lip and he leaned into her touch, tears pricking at his eyes. Right now, he felt something breaking inside of him. She wasn't angry at him.

She spoke in such a soft voice, he felt her words calming him down. "It okay. It's for the best, Mike. For both of us."

"Please," was all he could get out. Her eyes were shining with that emotion that both of them were conveying, but neither of them actually admitting it. She shook her head and leaned forward, kissing him gently and he immediately reciprocated it, breathing her in, that amazing natural smell from her that he couldn't get enough of. She held his face as they kissed, her lips moving tenderly against his before it slowly came to an end.

She looked into his eyes as their foreheads touched. There was no trace of that fiery attitude in her gaze. "I have to go," she said softly to him.

He just looked away from her, unable to stand it any longer. Looking at her, while knowing where she was going, was too much for him to bear. "Will," he called.

He stared at his friend in a way that made it clear he wanted no questions asked. "Drive her back."

He nodded seriously but kept his eyes to the floor. He had probably heard what had happened. He looked at El sympathetically. "Sure."

El smiled in a somewhat grateful way at Will, then turned to Mike. She opened her mouth, but he cut her off. "Remember to use ice packs," he said to her hoarsely. Still unable to look her in the eye.

She closed her mouth and just nodded. Will grabbed his car keys and motioned for El to follow him. El followed him to the door, walking stiffly. Mike felt a sudden impulse to help her out, to guide her. But he knew that if he held her again, he would never be able to let her go. Just before she went out the door, she stopped for a moment. Then she looked around at him one last time. Mike wished he could freeze that moment in time. Just her standing there, her lips curved in a little sad smile. And then she was gone.

He just leaned against the counter, listening to Will's car drive away. He didn't have the energy to go the window. In that moment, he knew he hated himself. He allowed her to leave. Why didn't he try harder? Why didn't he lock her in his room, and force her to stay?

For the first time ever, it wasn't anger brewing inside of him. No, this was different. Something had cut a wound deep inside of him, harsh and aching. He felt as if his heart was being torn in two.

* * *

El had told Will to drop her off at the end of her street. He didn't ask any questions, during and after the car ride. He knew what had transpired between her and Mike. But he said nothing. He only told her to take care of herself. And apologised for having to tell her what they had been hiding from her. She watched him drive off until he disappeared.

Her dad. Mike. Her dad. Mike. Those two faces flipped through her mind repeatedly. Her father was involved with those _monstrosities,_ possibly the worst humanitarian crime in the world. Her dad. Her gruff, no-nonsense, well-meaning dad. She still cared deeply for her dad. She loved him, even though he treated her like garbage. She was always trying to impress him, always trying to grab his attention, trying to make him proud so she could feel some sort of pride coming from him. He was a good guy.

Except – except of course he wasn't. Because she didn't really know him at all.

And Mike… She felt a stabbing sensation in her chest again. She had done it for him. She couldn't allow him to continue to be in her life.

El found herself taking the opposite direction away from her family's house, away from the main town. Back towards the Westside. It was now coming up to seven in the evening, and the cloudy sky was beginning to turn slightly orange. Sirens were still blaring in the distance. But she knew she couldn't rest until she spoke that person again. She felt nothing but shame whenever she thought about their fight.

She arrived at the street after a while. There was a lot less traffic than usual this evening and the sounds of shrieking kids reverberated around her. She had to avoid them as they rode up and down the road on their bikes and skateboards. She bit her lip, trying not to think about the sort of life she might have had if she was one of those kids.

She stopped outside that familiar house and debated for a few minutes. She almost walked back towards the way she came. Finally, she strode determinedly up to the porch, and rang the doorbell, nervous butterflies fluttering in her stomach. The door opened, and El braced herself, her heart beating rapidly against her chest.

Max stared at her. She was wearing an apron over her clothes and her hair was tied back, giving her face a more distinctive look. She still had her dark eye make-up on, but her eyes were slightly puffy, as if she had been crying.

For a few seconds, there was nothing but silence as El stood there awkwardly. "Hi," she said cautiously.

Max folded her arms. "Hi," she said back, her tone laced with coldness.

She swallowed. "Max I know I shouldn't have come but – I just found something out and – um – I didn't know where else to go and um-"

Max said nothing. Only watching her in an expectant way. El felt her knees start to shake. The onky good friend she had in her life, and she had treated her as if she was no better than dog shit. The overwhelming aching in her heart grew, and to her horror she suddenly found herself beginning to weep.

"I'm so sorry," she sobbed uncontrollably. "I'm just so sorry, I'm a fucking bitch and you didn't – you didn't deserve _any_ of that – what I said, I – I didn't mean it, I swear – it's just I don't know what to do anymore – I – I –"

And then Max swooped down, pulling her into a hug. "Hey. It's okay," she whispered. "You're okay girl, I got you."

Even after what had happened between them earlier that day, she forgave her. El wasn't sure she could forgive herself considering what she had said to her friend in their argument.

El just broke down in her friend's arms, the full impact of what had just happened, at what she had learned, at what she just did, hitting her like an avalanche. And all the while, Max held her, rubbing her back soothingly and whispering that everything was going to be all right.


End file.
